Meet Me In New York
by gurl3677
Summary: This is based on a little known movie by Norman Reedus called Meet Me In Berlin. Norman's character didn't have a name so I named him Reed Harris.
1. Chapter 1

_* Please Review! This is based on Norman Reedus' short film called Meet Me In Berlin. It's a little over 17 minutes long. He doesn't have name in it so I combined his last name with the last name of one of his characters, Vincent Harris from A crime. In the movie, he is in the hospital after being hit by a truck. He was supposed to meet a woman on a blind date but missed it because of the accident. I am taking that idea and running with it. This maybe a one shot, it may not. Depends on what you guys want. If you want to see the movie, I know of a site where you can watch it online for free. Hit me with a pm for the site.*_

Reed was bored. More bored than he had been in his entire life. He was in pain too but he didn't mind the pain. The pain gave him something to think about. He had been hit by a truck a few days ago, although he wasn't sure how many days it really was. No one came to visit him. None of his friends knew what happen and he didn't feel like calling them. They would be just give him shit for being stupid.

Reed sighed and stared out of his window as he turned his phone over and over again in his hand. He needed to do something before he lost his mind. He couldn't read because one of his eyes was patched up. He couldn't watch TV for the same reason. It gave him a headache to try and read or watch TV with one eye. Reed groaned and looked down at his phone. He clicked it on and dialed a series of random numbers, starting with the New York City area code. He crossed his arms over his chest and put the phone to his ear.

Three rings in someone answered.

" Hello?" asked the light, female voice. Reed cleared his throat.

" Ah, hey." His voice was gravelly and low.

" Who is this?" She asked.

" Reed." He answered.

" And you are?" She asked. He sighed and laid his head back against his hospital issued pillow.

" Just a bored guy in a hospital who dialed a wrong number on purpose." He said. She laughed and the sound actually made him smile.

" You dialed a wrong number on purpose?" She asked. He brought his right arm up and put his hand behind his head.

" Yeah." He said. She laughed again.

" Well, I actually have nothing to do right now so I guess I could entertain you for a minute. Why are you in the hospital?" She asked.

" I got hit by a truck a few days ago. I went through the windshield." Reed said.

" Oh wow. I know you're in the hospital but are you okay?" She asked.

" My left eye is patched up, I have a slice and a bruise across my nose, a few of my ribs are broken and my arms are busted up but other than that...I'm good." She laughed, making him chuckle.

" Yeah, you sound good." She said. " Did you not see the truck coming?"

" No, I was texting and just stepped out in front of it." Reed said.

" That was stupid." She said, making him chuckle again, that time he groaned. " Are you okay?"

" Yeah, yeah, yeah." He said quickly. " Just hurts to laugh."

" Then stop it." She said. When he chuckled that time, he grabbed his side.

" Stop making me laugh then." He said. She laughed and it was soft and sexy.

" You have a nice voice." She said.

" Thanks, I'm sure it's kind of rough sounding right now." Reed said.

" That's okay. You just got into a car accident, it's allowed to be." She said. Reed closed his eye and sighed.

" So what's your name?" He asked.

" Yeah I'm not giving you that." She said.

" Ah come on. I'm laid up in a bed and I'm going to be here for a while. I can't hurt you." Reed said, opening his eye again.

" Now how do I know that?" She asked, making him smile.

" You're right, you're right." He said.

" Well, it has been nice talking to you but I have to go now." She said. Reed pushed himself up the best he could.

" Can I call you again?" He asked quickly. When she grew quiet he rushed to say, " Your voice is amazing and it's the first one I have heard since I woke up after the accident that doesn't belong to someone who wanted to stick me with a needle or something." She laughed and he could almost hear her smile.

" I'm sorry about that but I don't think it's a good idea. I hope you get better." She said before she hung up.

Reed sighed and laid his head back again. He set his phone on his chest and went back to staring out the window. It was raining. Back to his boredom. Maybe he should call his friends. He shook his head. No, that was not going to happen. He would call his boss. He didn't want to lose his job. He'd just tell his boss not to tell anyone. The accident was embarrassing enough. Jeff would understand and keep it to himself.

XXXXXX

Layla Dixon walked back into her apartment after work, later that night. She was tired but that was nothing new. Being the owner of her own shop meant she put in more hours than any of her employees, but she loved it. It was a good tired. A tired that hit you when you busted your ass and had a good day. She sat down on her couch at the same time her phone rang. Without looking at the number, she answered it and closed her eyes.

" Hello?" She asked.

" Hey." She opened her eyes at the rough voice. " Ah, it's the guy from the hospital." She frowned and got up quickly. " I was bored again."

" I guess." She said as she made her way to her front door. She just wanted to check the lock again. "Do you make it a habit to call back wrong numbers?"

" No but I like your voice." He said. When she was sure her lock was in place, she moved to the window in her small kitchen and peered out.

" Thanks, I guess." She said.

" Is this weird? This is weird, isn't it?" He asked.

" Yeah, I'll be honest. It's a little weird." Layla said.

" Well don't freak out or anything. Like I said, I'm going to be in here a while." He said.

" And like I said, how the hell do I know that?" She asked.

" I'm at New York General Medical Center and my name is Reed Harris. You can call and check on me." He said. Layla turned around and leaned her back against her counter.

" You want me to call the hospital and check you out?" She asked.

" Yeah. How else will you know I'm telling the truth?" He asked. She narrowed her eyes and couldn't believe she was considering doing that he was saying. She shook her head and sighed.

" Reed Harris?" She asked.

" Yeah." He said.

" Okay. I'll call you back." She said, hanging up before he could say anything else. She dialed information and asked for the hospital number. While the call was being connected she dropped her head and smacked herself in the forehead. " What the hell am I doing?" She whispered. She shook her head. She was lonely. She hadn't had a boyfriend in two years. Here was this stranger with a nice, sexy voice calling her up and she was chasing after him.

" New York General Medical Center." Layla closed her eyes.

" Can I have Reed Harris' room?" She heard herself ask.

" One moment." The lady said. There was a series of clicks then a phone started ringing.

" Pretty girl?" Her face flushed at the sound of his voice.

" What?" She asked. He chuckled, it was low and a little pain filled.

" Since you won't tell me your real name, I'm going to call you Pretty girl." He said.

" How do you know I'm pretty? I might be disgusting." Layla said.

" Nah, I won't believe it. Your voice is to nice sounding." Reed said. Layla smiled and started to walk out of her kitchen. " So it rained all day, was it cold?"

" It wasn't so bad." She said as she walked through her apartment.

" It's quiet. What are you doing?" Reed asked. He snuggled more into his blankets and stared out into the dark night.

" Walking through my place. You?" She asked.

" Oh, I'm just getting ready to hit the bars, you know? I going to fly my private jet overseas and hit up all the cool places in Paris." He said, making her laugh.

" You are, huh?" She asked.

" Yeah, seems like a fun thing to do." He said with a smile.

" I'll give you that, it does." Layla said. She walked into her room and kicked off her shoes.

" You want to come with me?" Reed asked.

" Oh sure, why not? If you are paying for the trip, I'm going." She said.

" Yeah, yeah I'll pay. We'll have lobster for every meal." He said. Layla laid down on her stomach and linked her ankles together.

" Sounds good." She said.

" Pick you up at ten?" Reed asked.

" Great. That will give me enough time to pack some clothes." Layla said.

" Fuck the clothes. We will buy all new ones." He said. He smiled when she laughed.

" Oh now you're on." She said. He chuckled then groaned.

" Damn, stop making me laugh." He said.

" I'm sorry." Layla said.

" It's cool. So listen, I can feel the pain meds starting to kick in which means, I'm going to pass out soon. I need to go." Reed said.

" Oh, okay." Layla said, rolling onto her back. " Well, I hope you feel better tomorrow."

" You could call and check on me, if you want." He added the last part quickly.

" We'll see." She said. She turned her head to look out of the sliding glass doors that stood off to her right.

" Alright, Pretty Girl. Thanks for talking to me." Reed said.

" You're welcome. Good night." She said.

" Good night." He said. They both paused for a few seconds before she finally hung up.

Reed lowered his hospital bed down and went back to staring at his window. He smiled to himself. She did have a nice voice. It felt good to talk to her. She seemed nice. He shook his head and laughed a second before he grabbed his right side again. If his buddies found out he was thinking about a girl he reached through dialing a random number, he'd never hear the end of it. To his surprise, his phone beeped. He picked it up and saw she had texted him.

' Layla. My name is Layla.' He smiled.

' That's a pretty name. I like it.' He answered.

' Thank you. Good night, Reed.' She texted.

' Good night, Pretty Girl.'

* let me clarify something! in the movie he has his cellphone with him. he first calls her from his cell phone then has her call him on the hospital line. she texts him on his cellphone.


	2. Chapter 2

_* Please Review! __**MakeUrMark:**__ Thanks for reviewing! I don't think you have ever reviewed me! You have favorited my stories but not reviewed much. __**Leyshla Gisel, JTellersOldLady: **__Thanks for following me so faithfully and reviewing so much!__** Greenpoint-Original:**__ Have you seen the movie? __**Katara Melody Cullen:**__ Thank you!_

_**The Misery Chick:**__ Thanks! __**Melissa:**__ I know! I was like, this that all? Is she not going to meet him? What the hell! lol*_

The next morning, Reed stayed on Layla's mind. His voice was so sexy, she blushed at the thought of it. Yeah, she had been alone for far too long. Maybe she should do what her friends said and try and find a one night stand. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. One night stands were not for her. She sighed and grabbed her bag as her phone rang. She took it out of her pocket and looked down at the number. It was Reed.

" Hello?" Her voice brought a smile to his face.

" Hey there, pretty girl." He said as he put his right hand behind his head and stared out of his window.

" Your voice sounds better." She said as she slipped the straps of her bag over her head. It had a casual, almost smoothness to it. It was still rough but not as much as it was the first time she talked to him.

" Does it?" He asked.

" Yeah." Layla said with a smile.

" You still think it's nice?" He asked.

" Yeah, it's still sexy." She admitted without thinking. He laughed and her face turned a bright red as she almost broke out into a sweat.

" Just because my voice sounds better doesn't mean I'm better so stop making me laugh." He said.

" Sorry." She muttered. She grabbed her door and opened it up, loving the feel of the cold air against her hot face.

" So is it cool that I called you again?" Reed asked. " I mean, if I'm bothering you, we don't have to talk."

" No, you're fine." Layla said.

" What are you doing? Are you outside?" He asked.

" Yeah, I'm actually going to work. I'm leaving my place right now." She said.

" Where do you work?" Reed asked.

" At a place." He chuckled.

" I get it. And let me guess, you drive A car." He said.

" Yeah, a blue one." Layla said, locking her door up tight. Reed grinned from his hospital bed. He looked up at his ceiling.

" I drive a truck. A silver one." He countered, making her laugh. Her laugh was light and it filled him. "Do you like your job at your place?"

" Yeah, I do. I actually love my job. What about you?" Layla asked as she walked down the apartment complex's porch.

" Yeah, I like mine. I fix the lights on the billboards."

" Oh really? Well that sounds cool." She said.

" Yeah, it's alright. Do you work every day?" Reed asked.

" Six days a week." Layla said. Reed shifted in his bed and groaned at the pain in his ribs. " Are you okay?"

" Yeah, Pretty girl, I'm alright, thanks." He said before he cleared his throat.

" Your voice got rough again." Reed closed his eye and smiled.

" Yeah well the pain meds are wearing off and my ribs are killing me." He said.

" Ask for some more." She said.

" Nah, I don't want to rely on them, you know what I mean?" Reed said.

" Yeah, I get that." Layla said as she jogged down the stairs.

" Is my voice still sexy even though it's rough again?" He teased. Layla flushed again and started to laugh.

" Stop it." She said, making him laugh. It was low and quiet.

" I think your voice is sexy too, just so you know." He said. " I couldn't get it out of my head last night." She smiled and rubbed her lips together. Why the hell was she flirting with this guy? " Oh, hey, Pretty girl, I need to go. Doc's here."

" Okay, I'll talk to you later." She said without thinking. Reed tilted his head and smiled. " I mean.." She started to stutter.

" I'd like that. Call me at lunch." Reed said. Layla sighed but nodded even though he couldn't see her.

" Okay." She said quietly.

" Until then, Pretty girl." Reed said, making her smile again.

For the rest of day Layla could not stop thinking about Reed. She wondered what he looked like, if he was telling her the truth about his work and what he drove. She found herself staring off into space a few times while she worked. She counted down the hours until she could talk to him again and that annoyed her. And depressed her. The best thing about her day was talking to a man who called her by chance.

" Pretty girl, how is your day?" Reed sounded tired when she called him on her lunch break.

" It's okay. Are you alright? You don't sound good." She said. Reed sighed as he laid back in his hospital bed. He turned onto his left side and stared out of his window.

" I just found out I'm having surgery on my eye tomorrow morning. Doc thinks it hurts so bad because I might have a bleed behind it and it's building up pressure." Reed said.

" Oh, wow, are you worried?" She asked. Reed's laugh was low, quiet, and sexy.

" If I say yes, will you think I'm less of a man?" He asked. Layla leaned back in her chair where she sat in her office.

" No. I'd be worried. I'd be scared out of my mind." She said.

" Then yeah, I'm worried. I don't want to lose my sight, you know what I mean?" He asked.

" Yeah, I can understand that." Layla said. Reed sighed and it made her close her eyes.

" Can I be honest without sounding creepy or weird?" He asked.

" Sure. There is nothing creepy or weird about what we have going on right now." She said, opening her eyes again. Reed laughed then groaned.

" What did I say about making me laugh?" He said. It was her turn to laugh.

" I'm sorry, Reed." She said. She heard him breath deeply.

" Wow, you said my name. It sounds great coming from you." He said, making her smile. She blushed. How the hell this man made her blush over the phone was beyond her.

" What time is the surgery?" She asked. She needed to change the subject, fast.

" Eleven. Doc says if they get the blood out and repair what's going in there, I will be able to see out of it by the end of the day so that's good." Reed said.

" So you wouldn't need it patched up anymore?" She asked.

" Right. Then I can watch TV or read and not be bored anymore. I won't have to bother you." It was a small test. He wanted to see what she said.

" You don't bother me." She said. For some reason, the thought of not talking to him anymore made her sad. Reed grinned and made a yes motion with his arm, regretting it right away though when the pain shot through him. " So what do you eat there?"

" Nothing. The food here is awful. I wish I could get some taffy." Reed said.

" Like salt water taffy?" Layla asked.

" Oh yeah, I fucking love taffy. Oh hey, I have to go. Nurse is here with my pain meds." Reed said.

" Okay, have a good day, Reed."

" You too, Pretty girl." She could hear his smile.

XXXXXX

When Reed woke from his pain med induced nap, there was a basket with wrapped items sitting on his meal table. He groaned as he raised his bed up. He grabbed his right side with his left hand and reached for the card on the basket with his right hand. He laid back, wondering who could have sent him anything. Only his boss knew about the accident and he wouldn't send anything.

' Thought this might cheer you up.

Layla AKA your pretty girl'

He grinned and leaned forward again. He snatched up the basket and torn into the wrapping. He laughed, grabbing his side, hating the pain but loving the laugh. She had sent him two bags of salt water taffy, four magazines and two Stephen King books. He looked at the clock and decided to wait an hour before he'd call her to thank her for her the gifts. He didn't know what time she got done with work but an hour it would be close to six.

He waited thirty minutes.

" Are you always this sweet to people?" Reed asked when she answered her phone. She laughed, setting her bag on her table.

" No, just to strange guys who call me at random. I'm going to have a cup of coffee, you want some?" Layla asked.

" Yeah, I love coffee. Can I have some cream in it?" He asked, making her smile.

" Sure thing." She said. " So, did you eat any of the taffy yet?"

" Hell yeah I did! You want some?" He asked.

" Oh yeah, the blue kind. It's my favorite." Layla said.

" Yeah, the blue is good but the green is better." Reed said.

Layla was surprised at how easy it was to talk to him. They talked and laughed together. She would quickly tell him how sorry she was for making him laugh. He would assure her it was a good pain he was having. She drank the coffee at her dining room table, he ate some taffy in his hospital bed. At nine he had to hang up and he cursed the pain meds because of it.

" Can you do something for me?" Reed asked her.

" What?" Please don't ask me to visit you, I can't do that, she said to herself.

" Will you call me tomorrow, before my surgery? I have to leave my room at ten so it would have to be before than." Reed said.

" I'd love too." Layla said quietly.

" Thanks, Pretty girl. Have a good night." Reed said before they hung up.


	3. Chapter 3

_* Please review! I know there is a lot of dialogue but they are only talking through the phone. They haven't met yet. __**Blank: **__They were not supposed to go on a blind date. They both live in New York and he randomly dialed her number out of boredom.*_

Reed stared at the ceiling of his hospital room, wondering if she was, in fact, going to call him. It was eight in the morning and he was due in surgery in a few hours. He was nervous and felt like talking to her would help him to relax. She seemed to have a calming ability over him. She made him forget about his boredom and pain. Why couldn't he have met her before the accident? He sighed and started to play with his phone. Three minutes later it rang. He grinned and flipped it around to see the number.

' Pretty girl' flashed across his caller ID

" Hey you." He said as he answered it.

" Good morning. How was your night?" She asked.

" Long. Yours? Did you sleep good?" Reed asked.

" Yeah. How is your pain?"

" Better." Reed said.

" Coffee?" Reed chuckled and nodded.

" Yeah, please."

" So they are coming to get you around ten you said?" Layla asked. He closed his eye and tried to image what she looked like and what she was doing. He could hear her moving around and some water running.

" Yeah. Surgery is going to take about an hour doc said. I'll be in recovery for another hour then brought back to my room." He said.

" I'd, ah...I'd like to know how you're doing afterwards." She admitted softly, making him grin again.

" I will call you as soon as I'm fully awake than." He said.

" Okay." She said.

" So you must be single." Reed said. Because why else would she be able to keep talking to him, plus, she was always alone.

" Why do you say that?" She almost snapped. Reed frowned and opened his eye.

" I didn't mean to offend you, Pretty girl. It's just I never hear anyone around you."

" I live alone." She said.

" You don't have a boyfriend or a husband than?" Reed asked.

" No." She answered.

" Girlfriend?" He asked.

" No. You?" Layla asked.

" No. No girlfriend, wife, boyfriend or husband." Reed said, making her laugh. He was glad some of the tension he heard in her before seemed to be gone. " So what do you look like? What color is your hair?"

" It's dark brown color. I have two blond streaks on each side of my head. Yours?" She asked.

" It's the same color only no highlighting. I have blue eyes." Reed closed his eyes and tried to form her in his mind.

" I have dark blue eyes." She said.

" How long is your hair?"

" Ah, it's actually long. If I straight it, it would reach my belly button." She said.

" Is it curly?" Reed asked.

" Just wavy. Yours?" Layla asked as she waited for her coffee to be done.

" Well, the back of my hair is kind of long. It reaches my collar and the sides are almost to my jaw."

" How tall are you?" Layla asked. Reed smiled, hoping she was trying to image him like he was doing to her.

" I'm a little over five foot eleven inches. You?'

" Five one."

" Tiny." He liked petite and tiny girls.

" Yeah." Reed smiled and nodded, opening his eye again.

" I want to thank you for talking to me so much. I know this is strange." Reed said.

" Yeah, it's strange but I...I like talking to you." She admitted.

" I like talking to you too."

They stayed on the phone while he laid in his bed and she got ready for her day. He asked her everything he could think of from her favorite color to where she grew up. He just wanted to hear her voice and get to know her more. She answered everything and asked him the same questions. All too soon the nurses came to collect him.

" Hey, I have to go." Reed said.

" Oh, okay. Good luck." She said.

" Thanks, Pretty girl. I'll hit you up later." He said.

XXXXXX

It was after one when her phone started to ring. Being the boss meant she could lock herself in her office and talk to him so that was just what she did. She almost ran to the back, needing to talk to him. She wanted to make sure he was okay and that surprised her. She didn't know this man but he did funny things to her stomach.

" Are you okay?" Her voice soothed him at once. Reed sighed and closed his eyes.

" Yeah. Surgery went well, I guess." He said.

" Can you see out of you eye?" Layla asked, sitting down at her desk.

" I don't know. Doc wanted to patch it up again. He's going to unwrap it later and we will see." Reed said.

" Does it hurt?" She asked.

" Well not right now but I have pain meds coursing through my system. I'm sure you can tell. I feel like I'm talking slow and slurring my words a little bit." He said. Layla laughed, making him smile.

" A little bit you are but it's not bad. You just sound a little drunk." She said.

" I can't talk long. I'm really tired but I wanted to let you know that I was fine." Reed said. " Can I call you later?"

" I'd like that." She said. " I'm glad you called and you're fine. Rest well." Reed sighed, settled into his bed and closed.

" Thanks, Layla. I'll talk to you tonight." He said.

XXXXXX

' What am I doing?' Layla asked herself as she rode the elevator up to his floor.

She wasn't going to into his room. She was going to walk pass and look in. Not knowing what he looked like was killing her. She just had to know if his sexy voice matched his body. She had drove to the hospital without thinking to hard. She asked for his room number and forced herself to move. When she reached his floor, her stomach dropped. She moved down the hallway slowly.

Reed was sitting up in his bed, looking over one of the magazines his Pretty girl had sent him. He had never been so thankful to look at pictures before in his life. He was smiling to himself, glancing at his phone to check the time. It was four which meant he had to wait for two more hours before he could call her. He sighed and shook his head. Movement at his door caught his eyes. He looked over as a girl walked passed his room and the glass that served as the wall. She was looking at him but the second their eyes caught she looked away and quicken her pace.

' Damn, I must really be busted up. Hot girls can't even look at me.' He thought as he went back to the magazine. His face hurt and was swollen up so he was sure it was pretty bruised but the girl looked away from him like she had been caught staring a circus freak. ' Is that how Layla would look at me?'

Layla held her breath as she hurried down the hospital hall. Her heart was in her throat and she was almost panting. He was hot, even bruised. Good God, the few seconds she got to look at him before he noticed her had stopped her heart. She could almost stopped walking. She could almost image what he looked like before the accident. How was it possible that amazing guy was calling her. Oh yeah, that's right. Because he didn't know what she looked like. Layla's shoulders dropped.

" I hope she got done working early." Reed said out loud as he picked up his phone. He couldn't wait anymore. He wanted to tell her that his sight was back. As her phone rang in his ear, somewhere, down the hall, someone else was getting a phone call. He waited online until her phone kicked over to voice mail.

' Ah, hey. It's me, the guy from the hospital again. Just call me when you're done with work. I have some good news. I hope your day was good. I can't wait to talk to you. Later, Pretty girl." His message said. Layla clicked the phone off and prayed she'd stop blushing as she rode down to the ground floor of the hospital. She would call him back when she got outside. She didn't want him to know where she was. She sighed as she clutched her phone to her chest. Why did his voice have to be so amazing?


	4. Chapter 4

_* Please Review!*_

A week later found Layla sitting on her balcony with her legs dangling through the bars and over the edge. She was reclining back, resting on her left elbow since her right hand was holding her phone to her ear. She was smiling and laughing as she listened to him talk. His friends had found out about his accident and had been visiting him, as well as giving him shit.

" Your friends sound like a great bunch of guys." She said with a laugh.

" Yeah, they are assholes." Reed said. " What about your friends?"

" My friends? Well they are a little wild. They actually talked me into going out tonight. My one friend, Jennifer, she is sure she is going to find me someone to hook up with." Layla said. Reed frowned. He didn't like the idea of her talking to another man.

" Is that what you want?" He asked quietly. " Someone to just hook up with?"

" No." She said just as softly. Reed sighed and laid back in his bed as he rolled to his left side. He adjusted his blankets when they got tangled in his legs. " I'm not into one night stands."

" Yeah, me either." He said. They were quiet for a few minutes, both thinking to their selves. They had been talking three times a day but never had been quiet with each other. " Look, I know it's not my place to ask this but I'm going to anyway."

" Okay." She said.

" If you do meet someone...don't tell me, okay?" Reed asked.

" Okay." Layla said as her front door opened.

" It would bother me and I know I have no right to feel that way, or even think that, but it would." He said.

" Layla!" Jennifer called out. She whipped around and put her finger to her lips to silence her friend.

" I better let you go." Reed said.

" No, you don't have too." She said quickly.

" Is that that guy from the hospital again?" He heard Jennifer asked.

" Shut up." Layla hissed.

" Reed, is that you?! When are you getting out because you are all MY Pretty girl talks about." Jennifer yelled out, making Reed grin and roll onto his back.

" Shut the fuck out!" Layla yelled. " I have to go!"

" Okay, Pretty girl. Be careful." He said.

" Thanks, night!" She hung up as her friend yelled out to him. Reed laughed. She was talking about him, telling her friends his nick name for her. That said something, didn't it?

XXXXXX

' Are you up?' Reed opened his eyes when his phone went off a few hours later. He had snatched it off his table and smiled at her message.

' Yeah, Pretty girl. You okay?'

' I'm little drunk.' Reed chuckled to himself.

' So you are drunk texting me? You home?'

' Yeah. To both. I want to meet you.' He grinned and nodded.

' I'd like that. I'd really like to meet you too.'

' I like you.' Reed felt his heart beat kick up.

' I like you too.'

' Even though you have never seen me?'

' I'm really attracted to you, even though I have never seen you.' He stared at his phone and waited for her to respond. After almost ten minutes of silence, he sent her another message. ' Pretty girl? You pass out on me?' He smiled when he got nothing back from her. ' Good night, Layla. I'll talk to you in the morning.'

XXXXXX

" I feel like I'm dying." Layla moaned as she laid on her couch with a blanket over her head. Reed chuckled through the phone.

" How much did you drink last night?" He asked.

" Too much. I don't even want to think about it. Way too many shots." She said.

" Do you remember drunk texting me?" Layla opened her eyes and blushed hard.

" No!" She said quickly. Reed chuckled again.

" Well you did."

" Hang on." Layla took her phone away and moved to her messages. She opened her texts and read through them quickly. She groaned and wanted to smack her forehead. Yeah, she wanted to meet him, yeah, she liked him but she didn't want him to know that. Did he really say he was attracted to her? She brought her phone back to her ear in time to hear him laughing again.

" Did you read them?" He asked.

" Yes." She said.

" They weren't bad. It's not like you sent me anything embarrassing." Reed said.

" I am so sorry. Were you sleeping?" Layla asked.

" No, Pretty girl. Don't worry." He said in that smooth, casual draw his voice had taken a few days after his accident. She could hear his smile. " So...I asked the doc about when he thought I could get out of here and, as long as I continue healing like I am and no problems happen, looks like I'm out of here in a week."

" Oh really?" She asked.

" Yeah. I can drive, I can work, I can go back to my life." Reed said.

" You can even text and walk out in traffic?" She asked as she teased him.

" You too? I thought you were above making fun of me." Reed said, making her laugh.

" I'm not making fun of you." Layla said, making him laugh. They fell silent for a few minutes, both thinking about the texts.

" Did you mean it?" He asked quietly. " When you said you wanted to meet, did you mean it?" Layla exhaled hard and swallowed even harder.

" Yes." She almost whispered. The left side of his lips curled up in a one sided smile.

" Good because I'd really like to meet you too. I'd invite you here, to my awesome hospital room, " Layla couldn't help but smile, " but I'd like more of my bruising and swelling to go down first."

' I have already seen you bruised up and I didn't mind.' She thought, blushing right away.

" Okay." She said.

The week went fast for Layla but slow for Reed. He couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and see her. He wanted to go home, shower in his shower, put on his clothes, and see Layla. He knew just where he wanted to take her. There was a little place he knew of where they could eat and have some drinks together. They could talk and really get to know each other. Not that he didn't feel like he knew her. They were still talking three times a day and seemed to share everything. He knew where she had grown up and why she came to New York. She knew all the moving around he had done with his mother when he was young and where he had lived.

But there were still things he wanted to know about her. He knew she drove a blue car, lived in a place and worked at a store. He knew her name was Layla and had a general idea of what she looked like but he was excited to see her for real. He imaged how good she smelled and how soft her skin would feel. Reed hoped he'd get a change to touch her, even if it was just to hold her hand.

Layla was stupid and she knew it. How could she have agreed to meet him? The closer it came to the day he was to go home, the more nervous Layla got. Reed sounded excited but she was nervous. Could she meet him? Should she? No, she couldn't do it. She couldn't take the look on his face when he first saw her. She couldn't take the disappointment he would feel when he saw her for the first time.

" Layla, today's the big day!" Jennifer said as she almost bounced into Layla's place.

" I know. I'm going to cancel." Layla said when she disappeared into her room.

" What? No!" Jennifer said, following after her friend. " You are going to meet him. This is a once in a lifetime thing."

" No, I can't." Layla said. She collapsed on her bed and shut her eyes. Jennifer shook her head and laid down beside her. " He's not going to like me."

" And why not? You are a hot little piece of ass." Layla shook her head and looked at her long time best friend. " Look, you have to let these high school self doubts go."

" That's easy for you to say. You're tall, have blond hair, big tits and a killer body. I'm short, and "

" And if you say ugly or below average in looks I'm going to punch you." Jennifer said. Layla sighed and looked at her ceiling. " Look, I understand you were picked on in school but that was ten years ago. You are twenty-eight now. Yeah, you have had bad luck with guys before but that doesn't mean you give up. Unless you are becoming a lesbian and if that's the case, yeah for my team and can I be your first?" Layla burst into laughter and looked back at her friend who was smiling. " I'm serious. I'd love to be your first lesbian."

" I love you, you know. You are really good for my self esteem." Layla said as her phone started to ring. Jennifer smiled.

" I love you too. I'm headed out. Answer your phone and make plans with your man." She sat up, smacked Layla on the leg then walked out of her room.

" Hello?" Layla asked.

" Hey you. It's me." Reed said.

" Are you home?" She asked.

" Yeah. I just got dropped off. I want to get in the shower but I wanted to make plans with you first." He said. Layla closed her eyes and sighed.

" I...I can't."

" Why not? Did something happen?" Reed asked.

" No, I just don't know if it's the right thing to do." She heard Reed sigh.

" Layla, I'm not going to push you into this but I'd like to meet you. You want to wait a bit, we can but I want to see you. I don't have to pick you up. We could meet somewhere. It can be just like a blind date." He said. " I understand it's different, the way you and I became a you and I but here we are. I feel like I know so much about you but then again, there is a lot I don't know."

" I want to wait." She said.

" Alright. I'm disappointed but I understand. I need to take a shower so can I call you back?" Reed asked quietly.

" Sure." She said.

It wasn't just high school doubts that kept her from him. It was more than that. Whenever she and her friends went out, she never got hit on. The boyfriends she had weren't anything to write home about and she knew it. She really like Reed and if that meant they had to have a phone related relationship then so be it. That at least meant she could still talk to him. She just knew once he saw her, he'd be disappointed. She was small, sporting a B cup instead of C or D cup most guys liked. She was twenty-eight but looked like she was seventeen. No man wanted to date a woman who looked like a child. She sighed and stared at her ceiling. She would have to figure something out. She couldn't push Reed off forever and she knew it.


	5. Chapter 5

_* Please Review! Alright guys, here it is! I'm surprised no one said anything about Layla's name, Layla Dixon or the job I gave Reed. He has Vincent Harris' job from The Reedus' movie, A Crime. In this chapter, I threw in another one of my favorite shows. See if you can guess.*_

Reed wanted to stay home but his friends refused to let him be so that was how he found himself walking carefully through the crowed bar to get to the bartender to order a drink. He sighed and shook his head as he thought. He knew Layla had self esteem issues, he could tell by the way she took compliments or rather didn't take them, but he hadn't thought the issues would keep her from meeting him face to face. The entire last week he had been excited. He had counted down the days until he could see her only to have her cancel on him.

Layla was dumbfounded when Reed appeared at her side. He placed an order and didn't knowledge her at all, but then why would he? He didn't know what she looked like. What were the chances that he would find her here and come to stand right beside her? She swallowed and held her breath while she waited for the bartender to make her drink. His shoulder brushed against hers, stilling her and making her shut her eyes.

" So where the hell is your girl?" Layla heard a guy asked Reed.

" I don't know. She canceled on me." She turned to give him her back.

" She weird or something?" The guy asked.

" No. I think she is just worried that I won't like her but..." She rubbed her lips together as she listened.

" But you do."

" Yeah. I mean, she's wicked cool and so funny. She has me hooked."

" Are you seriously texting her right now?" Reed laughed.

" Yeah."

" Pansy." The guy said, making Reed laugh again.

" Whatever, Dude. I like her, you know? I thought she liked me too but maybe this whole thing is just too weird for her." Reed said. Layla pulled her phone out of her pocket carefully and clicked on his message.

' Hey, Pretty girl. I'm thinking about you.' Layla closed her eyes.

" I just want to see her so bad. I want to talk face to face." Reed said.

" Oh shit, Dude, you are such a girl." Layla opened her eyes and turned around. Reed had his back to her and was shaking his head at his friend who was walking away. " You need to just get over it. Pick up a girl here and get laid. You'll feel better."

" I don't want to just get laid. I'm into her. She wants to wait, I'm waiting." Reed said. His friend flicked him off before he turned and walked away from him. Layla bit her bottom lip and reached up before she lost her nerve.

Reed rolled his eyes and flipped off his friend's back. He should have never told his friends about Layla. Now he would never hear the end of it. His friends would bust his balls on being hung up on a girl he hadn't actually met yet. He shook his head and looked down at his phone, waiting for her to answer him. Maybe he had freaked her out. He had a second to wonder when he felt a light tapping on his right shoulder. He turned around and smiled at the girl standing in front of him.

" Hi, do you need something?" He asked. She seemed to be holding her breath. His smile faded as she paled. " Hey, are you okay?" He asked gently. She nodded but didn't speak, instead, she held up her phone for him to see. Reed frowned. " What?" She motioned with her hand for him to take the phone but still didn't speak. ' What the hell is wrong with this girl?' He thought to himself. He looked at her screen and felt his stomach drop straight down to the floor of the bar.

' Hey Pretty girl. I'm thinking about you.' He read from her phone. His eyes shifted to her face in shock. He looked back to her phone then at her again and swallowed hard.

" You're Layla?" He asked softly. She lowered her arm and nodded.

" Yeah." Reed was too stunned to speak for a few seconds. " Yes. I'm Layla." She answered. They stared at each other but didn't speak. He looked from one eye to the next, feeling his heart slamming in his chest. She was holding her breath, waiting for something, anything.

" Holy shit." He breathed out. They had a few more minutes of staring in silence before he shook his head and started to smile. " Holy shit!" He repeated with a little more excitement. " What are the chances of that? I...I..." He shook his head again. " I'm sorry, Layla, I'm...a little lost... right now. I don't...I don't even know what to say right now." His eyes were flowing over her face quickly.

" Me either." She admitted. He gave her a closed mouth smile and started to nod. He rocked from one side to the next. He brought his hand to his chin were he stroked his goatee. He wanted to hug her but didn't move. There was another round of silent staring as their eyes seemed glued together.

" Ah, wow. I...I really don't know what to say right now. Wow. You're...I can't even think right now...wow." He shook his head, dropped his hand and took a deep breath then gave her a full on, amazing smile. " I picked the wrong nickname." Layla tilted her head and frowned slightly.

" What?" She asked.

" Your nick name. I call you Pretty girl but you are beautiful. Like, I'm having trouble thinking right now." He said as he continued to smile at her. She shook her head quickly.

" Yeah, I'm not beautiful so you can stop right there." She said. Reed looked away then back at her.

" I should have known. You can't take compliments over the phone, so there was way you would take one face to face. You want to go somewhere quiet? I really want to talk to you face to face." He said.

" I didn't drive here." She said. His stare was so intense it took her breath away.

" I just want to spend some time with you." Reed said.

" I...I don't..." Her voice trailed off as they stared at each other.

" Come on, Pretty girl. Something is pushing us together. Why else do you think we both showed up here?" He said.

She closed her eyes and swallowed. She brought one hand up and let it rest against the bar. Was he right? Was something pushing them together? Reed watched as a few emotions played over her soft, delicate features. He smiled and took a chance. He placed his hand on top of hers, making her jump and open her eyes. Their eyes were glued together as he stroked the top of her hand.

" Please." Was all he said. Her slender shoulders fell as she drew in a deep breath.

" I need to tell my friends." At her words, his face lighten up into a grin.

" Yeah, I should tell mine too." He said.

" Mine are over there." His eyes left her face just long enough to look where she was pointing. There was a group of girls sitting at a table. He looked back at her, giving her a closed mouth smile and quick nod.

" Should we meet back here in five minutes?" Reed asked.

" Okay." She said. Reed nodded again but neither one moved. His hand was still on top of hers.

" Can I hug you?" He asked suddenly. Layla looked confused briefly.

" You want to hug me?" She asked.

" Yeah. Bad." Reed said. For the first time since they faced each other, she smiled.

" Okay." As soon as the words left her mouth Reed moved. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into him hard. She laughed as her hands came to his sides. She took a hold of his shirt while he closed his eyes. He rubbed his face into her hair and his arms tighten on her. She was warm, soft, and real, finally. She was real and solid and hugging him back.

" You smell good." He said into her hair. " I knew you'd smell good." He pulled away when he felt Layla move. He tilted his head down as she tilted hers up.

" I should go and talk to my friends." She said. He sighed and nodded.

" Okay. Five minutes?" Reed asked.

" Five minutes." Layla said. He, reluctantly, let her go.

As they moved through the crowd, across from each other, they kept their eyes glued together. Her lips were parted as she watched him. He was smiling his closed mouth smile. Her cheeks were tilted with a small amount color, his heart was racing with excitement. Her scent clung to him and he could still feel her pressed against him. He watched as she looked away and touched one of the girls on the arm.

" I'm leaving." Layla said to Jennifer.

" What? Why?" She asked. " Where are you going?"

" Reed is here." Jennifer frowned then smiled then grew excited.

" How do you know? Where is he? Did you talk to him?" She asked. Layla looked over to his group of friends and saw him talking to the guy from the bar. They were both looking at her. Reed smiled when they caught eyes. Jennifer looked over to the other group.

" That's him. We are going to talk." Layla said.

" Well hot damn." Jennifer said. Layla looked back at her friend.

" Should I do this?" She asked. Jennifer nodded as Reed broke apart from his friends and started towards them. Jennifer looked down at her small friend.

" You should, you need too."

" I don't know." Layla said. Her voice was lace with uncertainly and worry.

" Keep your phone on. Call me if you need me. Go somewhere that is open and public." Jennifer said.

" I will." Layla promised. A second later she felt someone place his fingertips against her back and she knew, without looking, that it was Reed.

" I thought I should introduce myself so everyone felt better about her leaving with me." He said. He pulled his hand away but his touch still burned through the fabic of her shirt. " You must be Jennifer, I'm Reed, the guy from the hospital." He said as he stuck his hand out to her friend. The guy from the hospital was Layla's nick name for him and he thought it was funny. Jennifer smiled and shook his hand hard.

" I am Jennifer." She said.

" It's nice to finally meet you. I have heard a lot about you." He said. When they let go of their hands, he touched Layla's back again. Layla's eyes almost shut at the warm contact.

" I have heard a lot about you, too." Jennifer said. Layla wanted to melt away as she started to blush.

" I am taking her to Merlotte's. Do you know the place?" Reed asked.

" Yeah, I do." Jennifer said as she nodded.

" When we are done there I will either take her home or pay for a cab to take her. I know how protective of her you are." He said, making Jennifer grin then laugh.

" I love her, what can I say?" She said. He smiled and started to circle his fingertips against Layla. "You two have fun." He looked down at Layla who was staring up at him.

" You ready?" He asked. She took a deep breath and nodded.

" Yeah."


	6. Chapter 6

_* Please Review!*_

As they started to pull away from Jennifer, Reed's hand slipped from Layla's back and she found that she missed his touch. They walked through the crowd with her stomach in knots. Here he was, right beside her. He was so close to her, she could feel his body heat and he smelled amazing. She was reminding herself that she had to breath. Last thing she needed was to pass out in a crowded bar.

Reed could barely contain himself as they walked. He was so excited. She had her hands clasped together in front of her and was bumping against his shoulder as they walked. She couldn't help it, people were pushing against them. He wanted to take a hold of her shoulders and gently guide her to walk in front of him so no one would touch her but he didn't. He wanted to touch her so bad his hands hurt with the need and he was opening and closing them. She seemed tensed and he hoped she wasn't scared of him.

When they reached the exit, Reed held the door for her and was rewarded with a small smile that sent his heart into palpitations. He wanted to grin but gave her a closed lip smile. He had already hugged her like a freak, he didn't want to walk around grinning like an idiot too. She walked pass him and he couldn't stop himself from leaning down to smell her hair. Yeah, she smelled great, just like he thought she would.

" My truck is over here." Reed said when he joined her outside. She looked at him as he came to her side.

" Your silver one?" She asked with a smirk that made him laugh.

" Yeah, my silver one." He said as he slipped his hands into his pockets. She looked away but laughed. Reed took a chance and pulled his left hand out of his pocket. He brought it to her elbow and took a light hold of her, gently pulling her towards his truck. He had tried to not touch her but he failed. He leaned down so he could talk quietly to her. " It's a Ford, by the way." She laughed, making him grin and stand up straight.

" I drive a Hyundai." She said.

The drive to Merlotte's was quiet. Neither one seemed to know what to say and he hated it. She was looking out his passenger window while he gripped his steering wheel. He sighed and shook his head. He never, in all the time he had thought about meeting her, thought they wouldn't have anything to say to each other. They had never been silent.

Layla was rubbing her lips together, trying to calm herself. She was closing her eyes and breathing deep. She was trying hard to think of anything and everything she could but nothing was working. She couldn't think of anything to talk about it and it was killing her. She sighed when her phone went off. She opened her eyes and pulled it out of her pocket. She frowned as she looked at her caller ID. There was nothing on her screen.

" Hello?" She asked when she put it to her ear.

" Hey you. It's me, the guy from the hospital." Layla started to laugh as she looked at Reed who was smiling. He had his left elbow on his door frame and his phone to his ear.

" Hey." She said. Reed glanced at her and smiled before looking back to the road.

" Can I be honest without sounding creepy or weird?" He asked, repeating the line from one of their earlier conversations.

" Sure. There is nothing creepy or weird about what we have going on right now." She answered. Reed laughed and hung up his phone, making her hang up hers.

" I'm really glad I found you out tonight." He said. He glanced at her and was glad to see her smiling.

" Me too." And just like that, they were talking.

XXXXXX

" So Jennifer doesn't look how I imaged her." Reed said once they settled into a booth. Layla felt herself deflate. She was nothing compared to Jennifer and she knew it. Her friend might be a lesbian but both males and females liked her. Layla's eyes shifted away from his smile.

" Yeah, she's pretty." She said.

" Oh yeah, she's pretty but she's not drop dead gorgeous like you made her out to be." Reed said, pulling her eyes back to his face. " Then again, I was never really into blonds and I don't want to date a girl who's almost as tall as I am." Layla tilted her head as she looked at him. Reed grinned. " I have always had a thing for dark haired, petite girls." Layla fought herself as she tried not to smile. She looked away from him as she blushed.

" She's my best friend." She said softly.

" That guy I was talking to at the bar, that's Sean. He's my best friend, I guess." Reed said, making her laugh and look at him. " I mean, he bust my balls all the time but he's always had my back when I needed it."

" How bad are they making fun of you because of me?" Layla asked. Reed smiled and started tapping his bottom lip.

" Bad." He said. He shifted in his seat and wrapped his hands around his beer. " They think I got into the accident on purpose so I could go to the hospital and use it as my own personal dating service." Layla looked into her own beer and smiled. " So, tell me about your store. What do you sell?" Layla looked nervous again.

" Ah, well..."

" Listen, Layla, you need to know something right now. I really like you. I know we have only talked on the phone but I feel connected to you and I want you to trust me. We have shared alot and I just want to know more about you." Reed said. Layla sighed as they stared at each other. She was processing everything he had said. She drew in a long, deep breath.

" I owe my own business. It's a little shop and I sell books, fairy and other mystical figurines, and jewerly." She said.

" Did you say mystical figurines?" He asked.

" Yes. My aunt started the shop and left it to me when she passed away." Layla expected him to laugh at her. She knew the idea of mystical things were stupid to some people but instead, Reed offered her another closed mouth smile and a nob.

" See? Now was that so hard?" He asked. Layla tilted her head and smiled.

XXXXXX

" So do you want me to call you a cab or can I take you home?" Reed asked after they had eaten and had a few drinks. He had his hands in his pockets and was grinning down at her as they stood outside.

" I guess, since you haven't killed me yet, you can take me home." Layla said with her own smile.

" Good. Maybe I can see this blue car of yours." He said, making her laugh. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and took a hold of her elbow again. " You ready than?" He asked.

" Yes." She said.

To his surprise, she removed his hand from her elbow only to take it in her hand. Reed grinned and interlaced their fingers as they started towards his truck. Her hand was small and soft against his. He pulled her closer to him and slowed their steps. It felt good to be with her like that. It felt right. He couldn't wait to see where she lived. He wanted to know where she roamed around when she had talked to him.

The drive to her place was quiet but neither one minded. They enjoyed the comfortableness of it. They were still holding hands and he was slowly rubbing his fingers against hers. Every so often she would flick her fingers and squeeze him. Reed was grinning like an idiot and he knew it. Maybe his friends were right. Maybe the accident had been the best thing for his dating life.

He followed her directions and pulled into a big apartment complex. She directed him over to a parking space that was right next a little blue car that he was sure was hers since it was the only blue one in the parking lot. He kept her hand in his until he had to let her go. He took note that she didn't pull her arm back to her. She kept it right where she had sitting when they had been locked together. He hoped that meant she still wanted to hold hands.

" So that's my car." She said as she pointed. He had been right.

" It's cute. Two door and tiny." He said, turning his car off. He turned in his seat and looked at her as she looked at him. She seemed nervous again.

" I want to invite you up but I don't want you to think I'm a whore." She said softly. Reed smiled.

" I don't think you're whore." He said. She nodded and breathed in deep.

" Then I'd like you to come up." Layla said.

" Lead the way." Reed said. As they exited his truck, Layla stayed by the passenger door for him. He jogged around it and smiled his closed mouth smile that she was taking as his normal expression.

" We have to take a flight of steps. Are you okay with that?" Layla asked.

" Yeah. I'm almost completely healed so stairs are no problem." He said as he put his hands in his pockets.

" Good, because I don't think I can carry you." She said, making him nod and chuckle.

" I'll try and not be weak." He said, making her laugh.

She was still nervous but she was more excitement. In person he was just how he was on the phone. He was had a quiet way to him. His voice was sooth and peaceful. It was casual and put her at ease everytime he talked. She crossed her arms over her chest while he kept his in his pockets as they headed over to the stairs. She was surprised in herself at how badly she wanted him to see her apartment and how badly she wanted to see him surrounded by her stuff. She couldn't wait to show him around her place.


	7. Chapter 7

_* Please Review! *_

" Well, this is it. This is my place." Layla said when they walked into her apartment. Reed still had his hands in his pockets and his small smile as he nodded and looked around. She waited by the door, closing it when he was completely inside. He was taking in her place like he was trying to memorize it, committing it deep into his memory.

" It's nice." He said.

To his right was a bedroom, bathroom, and closet. To his left was her kitchen. In front of him and to his left was her dining and living room. There were no walls between the three rooms so he could see through her entire apartment. Directly in front of him was the balcony he knew she loved to sit at. Down the apartment, on the right, was a closed door that he knew had to be her bedroom. That was one room he really wanted to see.

" Thanks." Layla said. " Do you want a beer or something?" Reed faced her as she leaned against her front door.

' No. What I really want right now is to kiss you against that door right now.' He thought to himself. He could almost picture it. He'd press himself against her and put his hands on either side of her head. She'd tilt her head up, he'd tilt his down and brush his lips against her soft ones. He cleared his throat and carefully shifted his hips as he started to react to his thoughts. Things were getting very tight inside his dark jeans.

" Can I have some water?" He asked. His voice was suddenly huskier than it made been.

" Sure." Layla said as she pushed away from the door. " Tap or bottled?" She asked.

" Bottled." Reed said. He wanted to watch her more. Her movements were almost graceful. They were soft, like she was. She gave him her back so she could open her fridge. His eyes went to her ass as she leaned down to snatch him the water. He grinned to himself. Her ass looked perfect. His hands twitched inside his pockets at the thought of grabbing her. But she was not one of those types of girls. She was not a love them and leave them girl and he would never treat her like one. " Ah, can I go out on your balcony and smoke?" Because I need the cold air right now, so bad. You are driving me crazy.

" Sure." Layla said as she stood up. She let the fridge door shut and faced him with a stunning smile that took his breath away. " There's an ash tray out there already."

" Thanks." Reed said. She handed the bottle over to him and when he took it, their fingers brushed against each other. She blushed, he grinned. " I'll come out with you." She muttered as she hurried pass him. Reed loved that she seemed to be just as effected by him as he was by her. He followed after her, trying not to grin more when she glanced at him over her shoulder. She liked him just as much as he liked her.

" You know, I only live about ten minutes from here. I pass this place on my way to work every day."

" Really?" Layla asked as she unlocked her sliding, glass door and pushed it open.

" Yeah. Every day. I thought about renting a place from here until I found my apartment." Reed said.

" It's a small world." She said, making Reed chuckle. Bring with her made him realized just how small the world really was.

" Yeah, it is." He pulled a pack of smoke out of his pocket and moved to the railing. He turned and faced her as she sat down in one of her chairs.

" I'm surprised it took you so long to smoke." The entire time he had been in the hospital without a smoke had drove him crazy and she knew it.

" I didn't want to smoke in the truck with you since you don't smoke." He said. He let his back rest against the railing and dipped his head down. His flicked his lighter open and brought it to his smoke.

" It wouldn't have bothered me. I don't mind smoking." Layla said.

Reed's eyes went to her face as he inhaled deep. His eyes were smiling, making her heart race. Reed stood up straight, closed up his bic lighter and slipped it into his pocket. He grasped the smoke between his index and middle finger as he nodded. He exhaled hard, still not taking his eyes from her, again his gaze was so intense it took her breath away. He had been doing that all night, staring and smiling at her.

" Still. It would have been rude." He said. The cool night air was not having the desired effect on his body that he had hoped for. She smiled.

" Was that the first thing you did when you left the hospital?" She asked. He chuckled and nodded.

" Yeah. Then I called you." He said. He loved that she blushed so easily.

" So...ah...are you going to work tomorrow?" She asked.

" No. My boss gave me Saturday off and I never work on Sunday. You?" Reed asked.

" Yeah. I almost always work on Saturdays." Layla said. He nodded, bring his smoke back to his lips. They still had their eyes locked together as he inhaled hard.

" Do you think I could come and see you at work or is that to much?" He asked after he exhaled away from her.

Reed stayed at her apartment for a little over an hour. When he was done with his smoke, he sat in the chair beside her and they talked together. He made her laugh with his quiet humor and grinned when she blushed. He knew she was shy but he hadn't realized how shy she was until he got to see her face to face. He liked it. He thought it was cute.

When he decided to leave, Layla walked him outside and down to his truck. She had crossed her arms over her chest and so he didn't try and hold her hand. She was smiling and talking with him but he could tell she didn't want to hold hands. He was disappointed but figured he should be grateful for what he got from her.

" Thanks for tonight." Reed said as he leaned against his truck.

" Thanks for dinner and the drinks." She said softly. Reed smiled and chuckled.

" You still think this is creepy and weird?" He asked.

" It's a little weird but I don't think you're creepy anymore." She said, making him laugh and stand up straight.

" You know, it's going to take months for my ribs to heal so laughing still hurts." He said, making her smile.

" I'm sorry, Reed." She said. Reed smiled and shook his head.

" Don't be, Layla." They smiled at each other for a few more minutes before he sighed. " So can I ask you for a hug?" She smiled and nodded.

They moved to each other at the same time. His arms went around her shoulders while hers went around his chest. Her head came to rest just under his pecs. Reed closed his eyes and held her tightly to him. After only talking to her for a few weeks, it was nice to see her face and hold her close. He inhaled the scent of her hair deeply, hoping that when he pulled away, he could still be able to smell her.

When they parted, he kept his closed lip mouth. She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. She watched while he climbed into his sliver Ford. She stayed in the parking lot as he started it up. He gave her a short wave before he pulled out of the parking space and started through the lot. With a happy sigh, Layla turned and started back towards her apartment.

' Hey Pretty girl, what's the name of your shop? You never told me." He texted.

' Once Upon a Dream.' She answered.

' Lunch at noon? ' He asked.

' Sure. You better not be texting me when you're driving. I thought you already learned that trucks and texting don't mix.' Reed smiled as he walked into his place.

' Worried about me, Pretty girl?' He asked.

' I won't want you to go back to the hospital and have to find another girl to call at random.' Layla answered. He tossed his keys on his table with a soft laugh.

' I'm home and I wouldn't need to find another one, I have you now.' He texted, knowing she would be blushing at the comment. ' I better let you go now. Sleep well.'

' You too.' But he wouldn't and he knew it. He was to amped up and excited. He collapsed on his bed and let his phone came to rest against his chest. He drummed his finger tips against his chest then sighed. His phone vibrated on his chest, making him grin. He yanked it up, hoping it was Layla but it was Sean.

' What's going on? You boning her yet?'

' Nice, Dude.' Reed said.

' Guess that's a no.'

' Yeah, that's a no. I really like this girl. I dig her. I don't want to just bone her. I really want something with her.' Reed said.

' I hope it works out, Man. I really do.'

' Thanks.' Reed answered. Sean gave him shit but all in all, he was a good guy.

' Reed?' Layla asked. His heart jumped hard.

' Hey you. What's wrong, my Pretty girl?' Reed asked.

' Nothing. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry I flaked out earlier. I'm really glad we got to spend some time together.' Reed grinned at her words.

' Me too, you have no idea. I'm seriously, Layla, I really like you and I hope I can get to know you more. I think we have something special going on.' He said.

' I feel the same.' She admitted after a few minutes.

' I'll see you tomorrow.' He texted.

' Goodnight, guy from the hospital.' Reed laughed out loud then grabbed his side.

' What did I tell you about making me laugh? Goodnight, Beautiful girl.' He sent.


	8. Chapter 8

_* Please Review! So I want to say that this story is going to be different from every other story I have written. There will be no crazy exs or stalkers. The drama is going to be more like real like drama. Since the film was only 17 minutes long and we didn't really get to know his character, I am basing Reed on the actually Reedus. His mannerisms and the way he acts I'm taking from Reedus as I see him act and talk in interviews. He gives a lot of closed mouth smiles and rubs against lip and chin so there you go! I hope you guys will still like the story even though no one is going to die or be shot or stabbed.*_

Layla's store was located on a side road off one of the main roads. It was nestled right in between a bakery and a small toy store. Reed pulled up and parked across the street from the old looking building. He grabbed the bag that contained their lunch and opened his truck door. He slipped out then reached in and grabbed the cup holder that held two coffees. She took hers with four to five creams. He kicked his door shut then made his way across the street.

Carefully, he grabbed the door handle and pulled the shop's door open. He was greeted by the smell of lavender. Her store looked like he had just stepped into a little fairy house. It was beautiful. There were big fake trees with little colored pieces of ribbons hanging from the branches. Hanging from those ribbons were fairy figures. There were also display cases around with bracelets and necklaces inside the case or hanging from little display racks. There was also colored baskets filled with difference colored beads. Everywhere he looked were either books or fairies of some type. Straight ahead of him was Layla.

She was standing at the check out counter with her back to him. She had pulled her hair up into a messy bun and there was a pencil sticking through it. Strands of her hair was hanging down her back and the sides of her head. She was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a long sleeve dark blue shirt. She was looking down at something and had her hands resting on the glass counter. Her small fingers were tapping the glass. Reed smiled.

" Hey you." He said when he came up to her right side. She jumped and looked up at him.

" Ah, hi." She said as she ripped off the little, black, thin framed glasses she had been wearing. She looked at the big grandfather clock on the other side of the counter. " Is it time already?" She asked.

" Yeah, it's noon." He said. She shook her head and started to gather up the papers she had been going over.

" This morning has gone by so fast." She said.

" I like your glasses." He said with his normal smile. She blushed and started fussing more with her paperwork.

" I only need them when I'm reading a lot. You can follow me to the back." She muttered before she gave him her back and started away.

" This store is great, Layla. It's so pretty in here." He said, following after her.

" Thank you." She said with a smile. " Lala, I'm going on lunch." She called out. A young black man wearing make-up on and a mutli-colored scarf tied around his head was strolling towards them.

" Well alright. I'll be up front." He gave Reed a once over and grinned. Reed frowned and hurried to Layla's side. He looked back after they passed her employee. The man was still grinning at him. Reed's eyebrows went up as he looked back at Layla.

" Ah, Layla, is that guy gay?" He asked. Layla smiled and nodded.

" Yes and yeah, he was checking you out." She said with a small laugh.

They ate the lunch Reed had bought for them in her office while they talked. She smiled shyly and laughed as he joked with her. There were a few times during the lunch that he wanted to touch her but he didn't. He wanted to hold her hand or reach out and kiss her but he stayed right in his chair. He wasn't sure how she would react although he wanted to touch her lips so bad he could hardly keep his eyes off them.

And that was something Layla was picking up on. Every time his eyes shifted down to her lips, his tongue would dart out and over his bottom lip. And he was doing it a lot. The movement made her heart beat kick up and her chest constrict. Never in her life had she wanted to be kissed so badly. There was a moment when she thought he was going to lean over and do just that. He had been glancing at her lips, breathing deep and almost leaning in when the spell had been broken somehow. Reed almost jolted up and back from her.

" So I should go." He said quickly. Why did it seem like some times his voice was husky?

" Oh, okay." Layla said. Was her voice breathless? He sat back and looked away from her. He started to rub against his bottom lip. He nodded and exhaled. He dropped his hand from his lip and placed them on the chair arms.

" Okay, here I go." He hauled himself up then smiled and held out his hand to her. " Walk me out?" She smiled and nodded.

" Sure." She said reached up and put her hand in his. He grinned as he closed his hand around hers and hauled her up, a little to quickly though because she stumbled forward. He caught her in his arms before she could fall.

" Holy shit, Layla, I'm sorry!" He said quickly while she laughed. Her hands came to rest against his chest. " Are you okay?" She nodded and looked up at him. It was then that he realized his arms were around her waist and she was pressed against him. Her smile faded as she held her breath and blushed. His right hand skirted up her back. He brought it to her shoulder, then her neck as he stared down into her eyes. " Layla?" He tucked some of her hair behind her ear then gently touched her cheek.

" What?" She whispered.

" I want to kiss you. Is that okay?" He asked.

She swallowed hard, licked her bottom lip then sucked it into her mouth. His hand was warm against her neck where he had placed it. His thumb was slowly stroking her cheek. She nodded with her teeth scrapping against her bottom lip as she slowly released it. Reed's eyes went to her mouth again. He groaned loudly at the sight and his dick jerked, right against her. Layla's lips fell open slightly as her breath hitched. Her hands closed on his shirt and she tugged on it enough to bring him even closer to her. His hand tighten on her neck as he tilted her head back and leaned down.

Their eyes closed at the same time. She whimpered so softly he almost missed it, almost. The first touch of their lips was light. But then he took her bottom lip in between his own lips. He pulled it gently and sucked it a second before he let her lip slide out of his mouth. He kissed against her upper lip then let his tongue trace along her lips. She parted them for him. To his surprise the tip of her tongue met his at the entrance to her mouth.

He groaned again and tugged her harder against him. His left arm tighten around her waist. Slowly, so painfully slowly they twisted around each other. He tilted his head to left, scratching his goatee against her soft skin as he moved. He pulled his tongue back then filled her mouth again, only the second time it was harder, faster, and laced with desire.

" Hey Layla!" Lafayette said as he smacked her door frame. " Oh shit! I'm sorry!" He said when they yanked apart. Layla flushed, Reed grinned and wiped across his bottom lip.

" What do you need?" She asked quickly. Yeah, there was no denying that she was breathless.

" Someone has a question about placing an order but I'll just get his number and tell him you're in a meeting." Lafayette turned and hurried away. Reed put his hand against the back of his neck and started to rub it.

" Can I see you tonight?" He asked her. She blinked and realised she was touching her lips.

" What?" She asked. He grinned and chuckled as she dropped her hand.

" Can I see you tonight?" Reed repeated.

" Yes." She said. Reed nodded, giving her his closed mouth smile.

" What time will you get home?" He asked. She closed her eyes and swallowed.

" Six." She almost whispered. A second later, his hands came to her neck again. She took a hold of his forearms. His body heat and scent came over her only moments before he kissed her again. He drew her tongue into his mouth and sucked against the tip.

" Man, you taste just like you feel." He whispered.

" How's that?" She whispered.

" Good. I could do this all day." They kept their eyes closed and their faces together as they whispered.

" But than I'd never get any work done." He stepped into her personal space and started to rub his nose against her cheek.

" Do I have to leave?" He asked, making her laugh.

" You might get bored is you stayed here." Layla whispered.

" I doubt that. If I got to stay this close to you and kiss you like that, I'd never get bored. Might even try to figure out a way to make money doing it so this could be my job." Layla started laughing as he pulled away to smile down at her. " Walk me out, okay?"

With her hand locked up tight in his, they made their way through her store. Layfayette smirked which made her blush more. Reed held the door open and pulled his arm forward so she would walk in front of him. Once they were outside and across the street to his truck, he dipped down and kissed her again. His fingers were gently against her skin.

" Have I ever told you how much I love dialing random numbers?" He asked.

" I think i figured that out." She said. Reed smiled and pulled back, making her open her eyes.

" Call me when you leave here, okay? I'll leave my place and meet you to yours then I want to take back to my apartment." Reed said.

" Why don't you tell me where you live and I'll meet you there?" Layla asked.

" Because I asked you on the date so that means I pick you up." Reed said.

" I'll call you then." She said.

" Okay, Beautiful. I can't wait." He said, still loving the blush she was sporting.


	9. Chapter 9

_* Please review! And yeah, the Sean in this story is based on the Sean we all know and love! __**Melissa**__: find me on tumblr! It's called Reedusforever!*_

For a week Reed and Layla hung out whenever they could. He would come to her work to have lunch with her and they were have dinner together every night, either at her place, his place or they would go out. He kissed her hello, goodbye, and a few times in between. They would hold hands but hadn't moved pass anything from making out at her door. He hadn't met her other friends and hadn't introduced her to his. She hadn't offered so he hadn't either. He wanted to meet her friends though. He wanted to meet the people that were close to her.

" Let's go out tomorrow." Reed said one night. They were having dinner at her place and sitting across the small table from each other. She looked up and smiled at him.

" To where?" She asked. He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

" To a bar. You can call up Jennifer and your friends. I'll call up mine, we can just meet up with them, you know? Let everyone meet everyone at once." He offered. That way, she wouldn't feel uncomfortable around his perverted buddies. If Sean and the guys got to be to much for her, she would have her friends to fall back on as well as him.

" I don't know." She said it slowly. Her friends were outgoing, something she wasn't, and always had guys all over them. Reed watched her as she thought. She was nervous.

" Lay, come on." He said as he reached forward and placed his hand on top of hers. " I really want you to meet my buddies and I'd like to meet your friends."

" It's just, my friends are...sometimes a little crazy. I mean, they are fun and I love them but around guys they sometimes act a little nuts." She said. Reed smiled and started to rub his fingertips against the top of her hand.

" Then they will get along great with my boys." He said. She held her breath for a few seconds before she let it out slowly and nodded.

" Okay." He grinned and squeezed her.

" I'll hit them up when I leave. We could eat then meet them all if you want." Reed said.

" That sounds okay." She said.

He noticed that she seemed off the rest of the night. She was quiet. Instead of the laughs he got from her, she only smiled. They sat on her couch together, holding hands and watching TV after they cleaned up the dinner. She was nervous, he could feel it but he couldn't understand it. He liked her, a lot, and was wondering if she either didn't understand it or just didn't get it.

He left her place after a few small kisses and a hug that night.

The next night he and his friends walked into the bar Reed and Layla had picked. He knew she wasn't there yet. She had called him from work and changed their plans on him. Instead of getting dinner together, she wanted to just meet him at the bar. She texted him, telling him she and her friends were only a few minutes away.

" Listen to me, Dude. I really like this girl so don't do or say anything that will embarrasse her or me, got it?" Reed warned Sean.

" Chill, man, alright? I know how to talk to girls." Sean said. The two guys faced the door and put their back against the counter.

" She's not just another girl though. She's shy and I think she's nervous about meet you guys and having me meet her friends." Reed said.

" So she's socially weird, like you. No wonder you two get along." Reed had stopped listening to his friend because Layla had walked in. He smiled and stood up straight.

" I'll be back." He said before he walked away quickly.

" Here he comes." Layla whispered to Jennifer. Reed was smiling his usual closed mouth smile as he made his way towards her. Seeing him was making make her more nervous.

" Relax, Layla." Jennifer said to her. " This guy is only staring at you."

" Hey you." Reed said when he reached them. Layla felt her stomach jumped into her throat as she smiled at him.

" Hi." She said. He took a hold of her hands and bent down to kiss her quickly.

" Hi. " He whispered, making her blush. He straighten up and smiled at Jennifer. " Hello, it's nice to see you again." He said as he offered her his hand. Jennifer smiled and they shook again.

" Hi." Jennifer said. Reed touched the back of Layla's back and smiled down at her.

" Why don't you guys follow me and we can do the introductions at once?" He said.

" Okay." Layla said. He took her hand, wrapped it up tight in his and they started back to the bar. He leaned his head down.

" You look really nice, really pretty." He said with a smile. She blushed. Jennifer had showed up at her shop and straighten her hair, redid her make-up then made her go out and buy an outfit. She was wearing a tight-fitting, black wife beater and new jeans that hugged her ass with a pair of black heels.

" Thanks." She said. He squeezed her hand before he let her go and put his arm around her shoulders.

" If shit gets to be too much, we can bail, alright? Just say the word and we are out." Reed said softly to her.

He was feeling a little nervous. He and Sean went way back and there was no telling what was going to come out of his mouth. Sean knew a million embarrassing stories he could tell and there was no doubt he was searching his memory bank for which one to bring up. Reed's suspicions shot up when Sean grinned and stood up straight. He set his drink on the bar and came forward.

" So you are Miss Layla." He almost purred out as he took Layla's hand.

" Lay, this is Sean." Reed said. Sean drew her out from under Reed's arm and over to him.

" You shouldn't hang out with this socially awkward loser. I could show you a much better time than he can." Sean said. Reed just shook his head.

The introductions started off with Reed's friends. Sean draped his arm across Layla's shoulders like he was the proud boyfriend, instead of Reed. Although Reed and Layla hadn't decided on titles or on how serious they were, he thought of himself as her boyfriend. As Reed introduced each guy, Sean would lean down and whisper something about the guy that would make her laugh. Once Reed had moved through all his friends' names, Layla started to pull away to introduce her friends but Sean refused to let her go. He squeezed her shoulders to keep her with him.

Her friends were all smiles and flirts as they shook Reed's hands and greeted his friends. Layla grew more nervous as he met the girls eyes and smiled. He laughed at a few comments they made to him and she started to wonder if he would find them prettier than she was. Sean was busying rubbing her shoulder and trying to get her attention.

" Tell me something, Honey." He said to her. " You thought my buddy was weird when he called you, didn't you?" They were leaning back against the bar counter and she was watching Reed as he talked to Jennifer.

" I mean, at first yeah. I never had someone dial me up on accident and then just keep talking to me." Layla admitted, making Sean laugh.

Reed was talking with Jennifer but paying attention to Layla as she laughed with Sean. His friend was grinning and Reed had to wonder what the hell they were talking about and if he was going to have to beat Sean's ass. Sean was talking with his hands which he did when he was telling stories. Reed shook his head, wanting to make a break for it and swept his Layla away.

" Buy your girl's best friend a drink. I have some things to say to you." Jennifer said, hooking her arm with Reed's. He smiled at her.

" Sure, what do you want?" He asked as they started towards the opposite side of the bar. Reed caught Layla's eyes and offered her up a smile. She smiled and blushed, making him grin.

" I don't know how much you know about Layla's past but I'm sure you have picked up that she isn't like other girls." Jennifer said once they reached the bar. " And I want a Cooler's."

" I know she has had a string of bad luck with guys but we didn't get to involved with that. I don't think she likes to talk about it." Reed said. He quickly placed an order for two Cooler's then turned his attention to her friend.

" She was picked on really bad through school because she's so small and it has stuck with her. I think that is why she has picked such loser guys to date. She has never thought she was very pretty or anything." Reed shook his head and looked back at Layla who was still laughing with Sean. He looked back Jennifer.

" That's just crazy. She's so beautiful and wicked funny." Reed said.

" I know! I have been telling her that for years. I have been trying to get her to join my team but she's hung up on dicks. I don't get it. No offense, but penises are ugly." Jennifer said, making Reed laugh. "All I'm saying is you need to be patient with her. I know she likes you but I also know she has a hard time showing affection. She's weird like that. She wants to show affection but it's like she doesn't really know how." Reed nodded, muttering his thanks to the bartender when she sent down their drinks. He could see that about her. She never kissed him without him starting it. He hugged her. He held her hand. When they did make out, he made her touch him.

NRNRNR

" You should have seen Reed's face!" Sean explained. " He was so embarrassed!" Layla laughed with Sean grinned at himself.

" So what story are you telling her now?" Reed asked a second before he touched Layla's back. She was sitting beside Sean and they were facing each other.

" I was telling her about the time you caught that guy checking out your dick in the bathroom." Sean said.

" Oh great. My favorite story." Reed said with a roll of his eyes. Layla smiled up at him.

" So what did you say to him?" She asked him. Reed shrugged.

" What was I supposed to say?" Reed said. Sean leaned forward and smacked her leg.

" The guy says, ' Hey, that's a nice dick,' and Reed thanked him! He fucking said, ' Oh thanks, man.' But his face was so red. He tucked it away, zipped it up and took off out of the bathroom. The guy looks at me and goes, ' What's his problem?' " Sean continued on. Layla held her breath as Reed's hand slipped up her shirt just enough so that he could touch the skin on her lower back. He started rubbing his knuckles in slow circles against her.

" And what did you say? Tell her what you said to him!" Reed explained with a grin.

" I told him Reed wasn't ready to admit his true sexual desires." Sean said.

" Then Sean gave him my number." Reed said.

" You did not?" Layla asked in surprise.

" Hell yes I did." Sean explained.

" That guy called me for two months. I could not convince him that I didn't need help with my sexual orientation." Reed said.


	10. Chapter 10

_* Please review! __**Java:**__ yeah, he's S.P.F. In case you don't know, the story Sean tells Layla is something that happen to Reedus and Sean. They were in the bathroom, peeing when Reedus leaned over, looked at Sean's dick and said, " nice dick." I thought it was so funny, I had to put it in.*_

" So are you okay with everything? I know Sean can be intense and a little overpowering." Reed said as they walked towards her apartment later that night. He had his hands in his pockets because hers were crossed over her chest.

" He's okay. A little touchy but okay." Layla said with a smile.

" Yeah, he was trying to make me jealous." Reed answered, making her look at him.

" What?" She asked.

" He wanted to make me jealous. He tells stories about me to embarrass me. When he gets a girlfriend I will tell stories about him acting like a bitch to embarrass him. It's just something we do to each other. Our friendship is weird but I know he's the one person in my life that drop whatever he is doing to help me if I need him too. He will fight with me, throwing punches without even knowing why I'm fighting" Reed explained. And even though Reed knew all that, Sean had made him jealous. Every time Sean leaned down to whisper to her, or every time she laughed at something he said, Reed had gotten jealous and annoyed.

" You can tell he loves you." Layla said. " When you aren't around he speaks every highly of you." Reed nodded as he smiled. He knew that too. Sean wanted Reed to think he was telling her more embarrassing stories but he knew he spent a great bit of time talking him up to her.

When they reached her door, she put her back against it and smiled as she looked at him. Reed smiled and took his hands out of his pockets. He placed them on either side of her head and bend down. Layla's eyes closed on their own and her breath hitched the second his lips touched hers. Gathering herself together, she brought her hands to his sides and took a hold of his shirt.

Reed licked along her bottom lip. She whimpered, like she always did, and opened herself to him. With a groan, his tongue slipped into her mouth, tasting the last shot Sean had made her do with him. Butterscotch. As her tongue twisted and wrapped around his, he brought himself against her. His hands came to her face. He pulled his tongue back, then pushed it back in again. It started off slow and sweet but as their speed built up, it changed. They were kissing harder and faster.

" Oh man, I want you." Reed whispered. " Say you'll come and spend the night with me tomorrow night."

His forehead was against hers. She didn't need to be told that he wanted her, she know that much. If they hugged for longer than a few seconds, she could feel his want grow, inch by inch. When they made out his want would press into her. Sometimes he would even start thrust slowly against her without realizing it. When he found himself doing it, he would always yank away from her and they wouldn't kiss for a while. Even then, he was pushing himself into her then swirling his hips. The contact was making her head spin.

" Okay." She agreed slowly.

It wasn't that she didn't want him or was scared to sleep with him. She was worried. He was an amazing kisser and turned her on bad with hardly any touches. His voice alone could get her wet sometime. But she knew from experience that just because a guy was a good kisser or could turn her on, didn't mean he was good in bed. What if she went to bed with him and he turned out to be a two pump chump? Then again, what if she went to bed with him and he blew her mind?

" I'll make us dinner. We can watch a movie and do...stuff." He whispered. And by stuff, well they both knew what that meant. They do knew what stuff he wanted to do. She wanted to do it too but she didn't want to be left disappointed or wanting more.

" Yeah, that sounds like fun." Her breathless voice said. Reed stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.

" I like you, Layla, a lot. I want to make something out of this but I don't want to rush it. If you aren't ready for this, just tell me. We'll wait. It's gonna suck for me but I can wait." As he talked his lips brushed against her and Layla had to fight herself to keep from shivering. " I don't want to screw this up."

" I want to come over." She whispered. She felt him smile a second before he gently sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and started to nibble it.

" Be sure, Baby, okay? I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you." He said after he let her lip slip from his mouth.

" I don't feel pressured." She assured him, taking a hold of his wrists. He sighed and kissed her lightly.

" Good." He said before he pulled away. His hands moved to her shoulders as she dropped his wrists. He smiled and took a hold of her hands. He yanked her against him so her chest hit his. She laughed as he interlaced their fingers. " I'll see you tomorrow then. Babe."

" Are you coming fo lunch?" She asked. While he still held her hands in his, he wrapped their arms around her and let their hands come to rest against her ass.

" Do you want me too?" He asked. He stared down into her eyes, hoping she'd say yes. Just once it would be nice to hear her say she wanted him to come and see her. He was rewarded by her smile.

" Yes." He grinned and kissed her quickly.

" Then I'm coming, Baby!"

She laughed at the excitement in his voice. Her heart was racing. He had always called her Layla or Lay but now, he added two new names and she liked them. He dipped down and kissed her again. He let go of her hands and placed his own hands against her lower back. She took a hold of his sides as he made them walk backwards until the door came to her back again. He moved his tongue slowly against hers. He ran it over the top then under it. He groaned and the small thrusting began again.

" I need to go, Baby." He groaned as he forced his mouth from hers. He kissed her again, thinking about what lay ahead for them pushed him into her more. Layla had just taken a hold of his shirt when he yanked away from her and shook his head. " I need to go." His voice was husky and low. Layla's chest felt heavy as she struggled to breath.

" Okay." She whispered. His left hand went up and into her hair as he came into her again, kissing her hard once more.

" Man, I really need to go."

" You said that." Layla whispered against his lips. He shook his head and pulled away, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

" I'll see you tomorrow, Babe." Reed said as he smiled.

NRNRNR

Reed strolled into her shop with their lunch in a bag. He was smiling as he looked around for her. And why shouldn't he be smiling? He had a hot girlfriend had gave him butterflies in his stomach and made his heart race and tonight, he was finally going to be intimate with her. Or get laid as Sean had put it when Reed told him that he wouldn't be headed to the bars that tonight.

" Hey, ah, Layfayette? Is she in the back?" Reed asked her employee. Layfayette was a nice guy but he never failed to make sure Reed saw him check him out. It made Reed very uncomfortable.

" Yes, sir, she is." Layfayette purred.

" Thanks." Reed muttered as he hurried towards her office.

Layla sighed as she drew circles against the paper in front of her. She was on hold with one of her supplies and the music that was playing was making her want to sleep. Thankfully, she had thoughts of her new boyfriend to keep her company. Her boyfriend. It was decided, after he got home the night before and they started texting each other, that they were a thing. A serious, just the two of them thing. A boyfriend. A girlfriend. Layla tilted her head to the right and smiled. She dropped her pen and brought her right hand to her neck. She sighed loudly as she started to rub it.

" Let me..." Layla screamed, jumped up and turned around to see Reed standing right behind her chair with his hands frozen by where her neck was only moments before. His eyebrows were up as he stared at her. " Do that." He finished when her shoulders sagged.

" You scared the hell out of me." She said as he straighten up and dropped his hands with a smile.

" I noticed. You okay?" He asked. No, she wasn't okay. She was nervous. She was excited. No, she wasn't okay.

" I'm fine." She said as she sat back down. Reed smiled, picked up the bag he had set down and moved to the side of her desk. He sat down and watched as she started to talking to whoever had picked up on the other line.

NRNRNR

Reed moved around his apartment a flurry of activity. He was nervous and excited. She would be at his place in a little less than an hour and he wanted everything perfect. He had washed his sheets and comforter then spray it and his room with Febreze. He put all his dirty clothes in his closet then shut the door up tight. The rest of his apartment was clean, cleaner than the day he had moved in.

Sitting on his dining room table, which was little more than a large, old wooden door attached on four old table legs, was two big candlesticks and their plates. A bottle of wine was in between the candle sticks, in the center of the table. On the coffee table was the new horror movie he had bought them. She loved horror movies and he was excited for her to get scared and grab him.

Reed was standing at his counter in his kitchen, watching his TV across the room when his phone went off in his pocket. He smiled to himself and dug it out quickly. Her number flashed across his screen in a text message. He needed to get a picture of her and set it to her number. Yeah, he'd take it when she was sleeping so she couldn't tell him no.

' Leaving work. Going home to pack a bag.' Her message read.

' Okay, Babe. I'm excited to see you.' He sent. He could just imagine her blushing and that thought made him grin. ' Hurry up, okay? I got us a movie. I'm going to start dinner.'

' I'm excited too.' She said. ' I'll be there in twenty minutes.'

' Text me when you pull into the parking deck. Park by my truck and I'll run down and put a parking pass in your car.' Reed said, turning to get things going.


	11. Chapter 11

_* Please Review! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA ( by the way, that's an evil sounding laugh)*_

When Layla parked next to his truck, Reed was already waiting for her. He was leaning against his truck on his passenger side with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed at his ankles. His face was sporting his usual closed mouth smile. Layla felt her heart start to race. Here was this beautiful, amazing hot guy, just waiting for her. She bit down into her bottom lip and turned off her car. He pushed away from his truck and reached out to open her door.

" Hey you." He said.

" Hi." She said.

" Hand me your bag. Dinner is ready for us."

" Yeah, okay." Layla turned and grabbed her bag off her passenger seat then faced him. He was still smiling as she handed over her bag. He slung it over his right shoulder then reached his left hand down to her.

All Reed wanted to do was toss her over his shoulder and haul her off to his room. He had to force himself to move slowly as they walked. He squeezed her hand and rubbed his fingers against hers. He was so excited he felt like jumping around. Things between them were going to be great, he could tell by the way she kissed. As they rode the elevator up to his floor, he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed against her knuckles. He pulled them into his mouth, one by one, gently sucking or biting her.

" How was your day?" He asked when his mouth against her skin.

" Good." She almost whispered. He nodded and grinned. He loved it when her voice got breathy.

" Good. I'm so glad you're here." Reed said as he looked at her. Layla looked up at him with dark eyes and slightly flushed cheeks. Internally he was grinning and jumping up and down. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her.

" I'm glad I'm here too." She said. Reed nodded then chuckled to himself.

When the elevator stopped at his floor, he let her hand go and place his hand against her back. He guided her out with them talking lightly to each other about their day. As they walked down the hallway he moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. Sometimes it stunned him that he had found her by dialing a random number a little over three weeks beforehand. Four weeks ago he had considering calling up one of his exs because he had been lonely and wanting someone in his bed, even if it was an ex who was kind of crazy. But the second her voice came through his phone, those thoughts had been wiped away.

" Why don't you go and sit at the table. I'm going to toss your bag in my room, okay?" Reed asked.

" Sure." She said. He smiled and patted her back before he pulled away. He hurried past her and down his hallway to his room.

NRNRNR

" This sauce is good." Layla said. Reed looked up from his plate and smiled.

" Thanks. It's homemade." He said before he looked back down. Layla's eyebrows drew together as she looked to the counter. She started to smile when she saw the empty bottle of Ragu. With a small shake of her head, she looked back at him.

" It's homemade?" She asked. He nodded as he swirled his spoon around in his pasta. " Then why is there a bottle of pasta sauce sitting on the counter?" Reed's head snapped up. He looked behind him at the counter then back at her and smiled.

" Ah...did I say homemade? I meant home style." He said. Layla bit into her lower lip and tried not to smile.

" You meant homestyle and not homemade?" She asked.

" Yeah." He picked up the bottle of wine. " You want some more wine, Babe?" He asked.

" Good cover up." She said with a laugh. Reed chuckled and poured the wine into her glass.

" Thanks." He said.

After they were done eating, they cleaned the dishes up together. He splashed her a few times, making her laugh. She pushed him with him chuckled. Once everything was done, Reed turned on the water then took her hands in his and placed them under the water. They smiled at each other as he rubbed her hands, make sure they were completely cleaned. He turned the water off and grabbed a towel. He dried her hands off then his own.

" Movie?" He asked. She nodded slowly because his voice was growing low and husky. She knew what that meant.

" Sure." She said softly.

Reed smiled and took her shoulders. He turned her around and guided them through his kitchen. As they rounded the counter, his arms slipped around her and he brought his chest into her back. His chin came to rest against the top of her head. She pushed through her shyness and let her hands come to rest against his arms as they walked.

" You ready for some scary shit, Babe?" He asked.

" I'm always ready for scary shit." She said. " What are we watching?"

" The Exorcism of Emily Rose." He said as he hugged her. " It's in the DVD player already. Sit down and I'll set the mood."

" The mood?" Layla asked as his warmth left her back. He grinned and hurried past her.

" Oh yeah. This movie is supposed to be super scary so we are going all out. Lights off, curtains drawn, scariness."

She smiled and sat down on the couch. She slipped her shoes off and watched him as he moved. He locked his door then started turning the lights off until only the light from the TV was showing. He plopped down on the couch beside her and brought his legs to his coffee table. He put his left arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him.

Through the movie they moved closer together. He took a hold of her legs and brought them over his. His right arm went across his chest to take a hold of her. She took a hold of his shirt and let her head rest against his chest. He rubbed his chin against the top of her head while his fingertips rubbed against her arm.

When there was only thirty minutes left to the movie, Reed had decided to make his movie. He hooked a knuckle under her chin and tilted her head up. When their eyes met, Layla could see the question in his eyes. He was silently asking permission to take them to the next level. His eyes were asking her if it was okay for him to make the move that would change their relationship. Layla gave him a small smile and a nod. Reed's eyes changed. They soften. They searched her face, needing to make sure she was sure. Layla nodded again.

He brought his right hand to her hair. He let his fingertips ran through some of the strands before he lowered his head and took her lips with his. Layla sighed and parted her lips. She met him right away, tip to tip. The touch of their tongues was gentle at first. Just light strokes against each other. He groaned and slowly moved into her mouth, twisting, tasting, and loving the inside of her.

Reed tugged her so she would climb onto his lap. He held her tight as he turned them and laid them back into his couch. With pulling his mouth from hers, he settled himself between her legs. He wanted them in his room but knew he needed to take his time. He didn't want to rush them. He wanted her to feel special. And the male in him wanted her panting and begging for him.

His hand went to her neck where he started to stroke her skin. His right hand traveled down her body slowly. It glided over the side of her left breast, down her rib cage, over her hip and to her thigh. He squeezed it and pulled her leg up so it went over his waist. She followed his example and hooked her other leg around him, locking her ankles together. He was breathing hard as he kissed her. They rocked together, rubbing and touching each other while they wrapped around each other inside her mouth. She whimpered, he groaned.

His hips rose up then moved back and into her. She moved with him, mimicking sex with her movements. Her hands traveled through his hair. Her nails scratched against his scalp. His fingers lovingly touched her skin. His want pushed against her through their clothes. He pulled away from her mouth to kiss down her jawline to her throat. He sucked in her skin, then let it out slowly. He swirled the tip of his tongue around her pulse as it slammed against him.

" Bed?" His voice was hoarse and hard but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting her in his bed and under him. His instinct was to haul her up, run to his room, rip her clothes off and bury himself inside her but the gentleman in him was forcing that down. It was holding the instinct back, but barely. He felt his control wanting to slip away.

" I'm on birth control." Layla whispered. He kissed her crimson lips hard.

" I'm clean." He whispered.

" Me too." She whispered.

" I have condoms." Although he wasn't a fan of them, he would use them if she wanted them. He knew he should but he want to feel her against him, completely against him, skin to skin with no more barriers between them.

" It's been a while for me." She admitted.

" I'll make it easy." He promised.

He pulled away and grabbed his TV remote. He turned the TV off then took her hands. He pulled her up and they stood together. Keep a hold of her, Reed turned around and started leading her towards his hallway that led to his room. He rubbed his fingers against hers while they walked quietly. She was biting her bottom lip to keep from smiling. He was grinning and not caring. They were minutes away from being one and he couldn't wait.

When they reached his bedroom, Reed turned and reached his free hand out to her. Layla laughed nervously and took it. Reed was grinning as he pulled her to him. When her little body came in contact with his, he bend down again and took her lips with his. He let go of her hand and let his right hand cup her chin. His other arm went around her waist as he walked backwards towards his bed. He was going to undress her as slowly as he could so he could savor every inch of her body before he joined himself to her. He wanted to make her tremble. He wanted her to want him as badly as he wanted her. Above it all, he wanted to make her feel as beautiful as he saw her to be.

_* LOL! Now you understand my evil laugh!*_


	12. Chapter 12

_* Please Review! For a Good Blade and Walking Dead Story, please check out Nymphchild, although she pissed me off so I shouldn't promote her story. lol_

_**Nymphchild:**__ Here you go now bring my Scud and my Teddy back together! NOW! Fix what you did! _

_**Caffiend04:**__ You know better_

_**Gatorgirl/JTellersOldLady/Leyshla Gisel:**__ Really? You all jumped to calling me evil? LOL!_

_Thanks for all the love you guys! *_

Reed was laying on his back with his right hand behind his head and his left arm around a very naked, sleeping Layla. Her right hand was tucked up into his side and her left hand was resting against the center of his chest. His left leg was locked up in between hers. Their combined sex fluids was against his skin. He had meant to wear a condom, in fact, it was sitting on his night stand still but she had whispered his name and his mind had shut down. He was grinning as he went over their night_._

_His plans of undressing her slowly flew straight out of the window. They tugged on each other, throwing their clothes left and right until they were all over the floor. Layla was laying in the center of his bed with him over her. His hands were flat on the mattress on either side of her head. He was staring down her body, taking her in when she moved to cover herself with her hands. Reed moved quickly, grabbed her wrists with one hand._

_" No, Baby. Let me see you. Don't cover up." He whispered. To her surprise, Reed came up on his knees with his hands on his hips. She looked down at him with wide eyes._

_" What are you doing? Put the blankets on us." She whispered. He shook his head._

_" No, not yet." He whispered._

_Sure, it was easy for him to be naked in front of her, he was hot, she thought. He was built up, not like he spent hours in the gym, but enough that she knew he took care of himself. His stomach was flat and tight. His chest was wide and hard with a dusting of hair across it and down his stomach. Over his heart was the tattoo of a name, Norman His dad's name he had told her when they talked about tattoos. His arms were cut and strong. As his eyes flowed over her, hers took him in. He was hard and jutting out, almost straining and reaching out to her. He looked like he was almost begging her to stroke him and she wanted too._

_" Damn, Baby, you are drop dead gorgeous." He whispered. _

_She was thankfully it was mostly dark in his room, thankfully only moonlight was coming through his two big windows that were across the room, to her right, so he couldn't see her blush. She shook her head and closed her eyes. A minute later his hands came to her thighs. She heard him sigh as he moved them up her body. He was touching her like she was made out of something precious. _

_Reed leaned down and placed his mouth against her tummy, right under her navel. When she sucked in her breath, Reed looked up her body. Her eyes were closed and she was biting into her bottom lip, making him grin before he closed his eyes. He moved up her body with his hands slipping up her ribs and his mouth placing sucking kisses against her._

_" Your skin's so soft. Softest I have ever felt." His words made her tense up. He frowned a second before he decided to ignore the tension._

_" Reed." She whispered._

_" Just relax."_

_He reached her left breast and placed the tip of his tongue against her. He started making a few slow circles around her nipples while his thumb swept over her other one. The tension he had felt before stated to melt away. He let his tongue form an O then sucked her nipple straight into his mouth. Her hands flew up into his hair as she moaned out. As he sucked against her gently, her hips came up and she rubbed herself against his head. She was ready, her wetness slipped across him and made him groan._

_And the vibration of it shot through her and straight down her body. He latched down hard on her nipple then pulled away, stretching it before he let it go. He wanted nothing more then to plunge inside her at that moment but he held off. He refused himself the satisfaction of it as he moved to her right side. She was breathing hard and almost whimpering. She wanted him inside her too._

_As he took in her right nipple and she responded to the sensations, Reed felt his careful control started to slip. He had wanted to taste her between her legs. He had wanted to feel her thighs pressed against the side of his head, but he couldn't wait to have her any longer. He pulled off her, moved straight up her and smashed his mouth against hers. He brought his left hand to his bed, beside her head while his right took a hold of himself._

_" Reed." She begged out._

_" Now, Baby?" He asked with his forehead against her._

_" Now!" She begged._

_He pushed into her without hesitation, making her head tilt back and her hips raise up. She spread her legs wider, pulled them up high and squeezed his sides. He closed his eyes and licked across his lips as he started to move. This was what he had been waiting for all along and it was perfect. She lifted her hips, then pulled them back. He thrust deep inside her, hitting a sweet spot that made her cry out._

_He moved both hands to his bed where he gripped at his sheet. He opened his eyes and looked down their combined bodies as he pulled out of her. Her hands came to his shoulders at the same time he disappeared back inside her. He shook his head and closed his eyes again. He felt her hands tighten down on his shoulders and her nails bite down into his skin._

_Layla whimpered, pulling him closer to her. Every one of her nerve endings was alive. He rubbed against her at the top and hit her from the inside. She was trembling and couldn't stop it. Reed kissed her again but she could respond. She picked up her pace, forcing him to readjust his thrusts. She was breathing hard, he was sweating. He groaned and cursed. Liquid fire was building in her system and before she knew it was going to happen, an orgasm shot through her entire body._

_Reed was stunned when she broke apart under him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and dug her heels into his ass. He hit her harder, her moans driving him on. She arched her back, letting her breasts slam into his chest and called out his name. It was all Reed needed. He sent himself pouring into her, jerking and pulsing while he froze above her._

NRNRNR

" What's going on? You banging your chick yet or not?" Sean asked Reed as they waited on their drinks the next night.

" Geez, Dude." Reed snapped, making Sean laugh and clap him on the back before he turned and placed his back against the bar.

" I'm just looking out for you, Man. I know it's been a while since you got your dick wet." Reed glance behind him to where Layla was standing with Jennifer, just across the way. She looked over and caught his eyes. A slight blush went across her cheeks as she smiled. Sean narrowed his eyes and looked to his friend who was grinning. " Holy shit, you did." Reed looked at him then turned back to the bar.

" What are you talking about?" Reed snapped as the bartender set down their beers.

" You got some." Sean said.

" You don't know what you're talking about." Reed said, laying down his money.

" Oh yes I do! You think I missed that look you two just sent each other? You just eye fucked her and she accepted it. Tell me, Dude, she hot under those clothes?" Sean asked.

" Drop it." Reed said as he handed his friend his beer. The two men started towards the girls.

" I want her friend."

" Jennifer's gay." Reed commented, catching and holding Layla's eyes again.

" I'm going to turn her. I'm going to make her love the penis but first, what are the chances of getting them together? Can you imagine how hot it will be to watch Jennifer going to town on your chick?" Sean grinned and shivered. " So hot. I'm going to jerk off to it tonight."

" Holy shit, Man. You are stupid. Please don't use my girl for your jerk off shit." Reed said.

" Why not? You do." Sean snapped.

" She's my girlfriend, I'm allowed." Reed said.

" That's not fair. She wasn't always your girlfriend when you were rubbing them out to her." Sean muttered as they reached the girls.

" Here Baby." Reed said as he handed Layla a drink.

" Thanks." She said. He grinned and put his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close then kissed her temple.

" I need to smoke. You want to come out?" He asked her.

" Yeah, sure." She said. Reed dipped down and kissed her hard.

" Then come on, Baby!" He said when he pulled away. She laughed as he started pulling her towards the door.

" They make me sick." Sean said.

" You're just jealous." Jennifer said.

" I am. I wish I had a hot girl warming my bed." Sean said.

" You and me both."

" It's so hot when you say shit like that. Please do me." Jennifer shook her head, making Sean grin.


	13. Chapter 13

_* Please Review!*_

" So why did I have to hear from Sean that you and Reed finally fucked?" Jennifer asked Layla over the phone the next day. Layla blushed as she poured some coffee into a to-go cup.

" What are you talking about?" She asked.

" Sean told me last night that you and Reed finally fucked Saturday night." Jennifer said.

" And how does he know that?" Layla asked. She was stirring in the cream.

" I don't know, I guess Reed told him. Who cares how he knows? Why didn't you tell me?" Layla frowned.

" Why were you with Sean last night?" She asked her best friend.

" We had sex." Layla's hand paused on her spoon.

" What?" She asked.

" He's very convincing and he won't let up so I thought, why not?"

" Well how was it?" Layla asked.

" The man is orally gifted but the sex was just okay. I don't think I would have been able to get off during sex if he hadn't gotten me so close with his mouth. I mean the sex was okay but that was it." Jennifer said.

" So are you guys dating or was this a one time thing?" Layla asked as Reed's hand came to her back. He popped up at her side.

" We aren't dating but he can eat me out anytime he wants, that's for sure." Jennifer said. " You're changing the subject. Spill the details about Reed."

" Coffee done, Baby?" Reed asked quietly.

" What the hell was that!" Jennifer asked. " Did he spend the night?"

" I got go! I'll talk to you later!" Layla as she hung up the phone quickly. Reed picked up the to-go cup and put the lid on it as he smiled at her. His hair was still wet from their shower. " Did you tell Sean that we fucked?"

" What?" He asked as his smile faded.

" Sean told Jennifer that we fucked." Layla said, feeling annoyed that he would call it that.

" Stupid dick." Reed muttered. " No, I didn't. He asked me if we had sex, I told him to drop it but he said we were eye fucking each other so I'm sure he figured it out." He said as he leaned his side against the counter. His left hand was stroking the center of her back.

" Did you know that he and Jennifer hooked up?"

" I thought she was gay." Reed asked.

" She is but she said he won't leave her alone with it so she did it. She said it was just okay." Layla said.

" Ouch, that's a blow to a guy's ego." Reed said. She smiled then moved to grab her own to-go cup. "Ah, would you say that?" Reed asked as his hand disappeared from her back to grab his cup again. Layla blushed and glanced at him but he was fidgeting with the cup's lid so she looked away again.

" What?" She asked.

" Would you say that having sex...with me...is just okay?" He asked quietly. Neither one was looking at each other and both were blushing. " I mean, if it's only okay then tell me so I can fix it. I want you to enjoy it as much as I do." Layla bit into the left side of her lip and closed her eyes. It was more than just okay. She was embarrassed about how good it was and the noises she found herself making with him.

" It's...ah..."

" Just tell me if it's a little more than okay." He asked.

" It's more than just okay." She admitted quietly. Reed grinned to himself as he nodded.

" So, what are you doing today?" He asked, wanting to change the subject because he knew she was embarrassed.

" Working." Layla said when she opened her eyes again.

" Lunch?" He asked.

NRNRNR

For a month, things between them were great. They had lunch everyday because he didn't work with a partner and could eat whenever he wanted too. The evenings they spent together. They alternated whose apartment they spend the night in. Layla loved how much Reed touched her. When they were together, he either held her hand, touched her back or held her close to him with his arm around her shoulders or her waist. He was always putting himself against her, even if they were alone.

And he was playful. When they made dinner or were cleaning up after dinner, he would playfully push her only to pull her back to him. He's splash her with water or pick her up, turn around and put her back down again, making her laugh. Sometimes he'd make her climb onto his back so he could carry her to bed or the couch.

Reed loved hearing her laugh so he did everything he could to hear it. Her smile warmed him so he wanted to see it as much as he could. It bothered him that he had to initiate all the physical contact with her but he decided to chalk it up to new relationship nervousness and let it go. Things between them were too good to fight.

" So when are you and Reed getting to the bar?" Jennifer asked over the phone one afternoon. It was her birthday and everyone, her friends and Reed's, were going out.

" About seven or so. He's picking me up here since he dropped me off. We are going to my place so I can change, then getting something to eat." She said. " Are you bring a date?"

" No but that's okay. Sean's going to my place afterwards. We have a deal."

" And what kind of deal is that?" Layla asked as she shut down her computer.

" He gives me his mouth, I gave him my body." Layla shook her head and started to laugh.

" You're such a whore." She teased her friend lovingly.

" What can I say? The boy has a nice tongue and, lucky for me, he's a two pumper so it never last long." Layla laughed again, making Jennifer smile.

" I have to go. I'm sure Reed's here. I'll see you tonight, Birthday girl." Layla said as she shut the light off in her office and started out.

" Alright, I'll see you." Jennifer said.

Sure enough, Layla could see Reed standing on the sidewalk, smoking a cigarette. His back was to her so she had a few seconds to just enjoy the view. Her heart was pumping as she walked closer and closer to him. He was just to hot for words and for some reason, he wanted her. All the time. He spent every free moment with her and when they were apart, he was texting her whenever he could.

Reed took a long hit from his smoke and turned around. He lowered his cigarette, exhaled hard and grinned. His Layla was coming towards him, biting into her lip on the left side, like she did whenever she was nervous, or getting ready to cum. She smiled shyly, reaching the door and unlocking it. He dropped his smoke and rubbed it out as she walked out.

" Hey Baby. How was your day?" He asked.

" Good. How was yours?" She asked while she re-locked the door.

" Good, better now. I...ah...I bought you something." Reed said. She titled her head and looked at him.

" You did?" She asked. Reed took her hand and pulled her into him as they started walking towards his truck.

" Yeah, it's nothing big so don't freak out. When I went to the store to pick up the outfit you ordered for Jennifer, there was something there that I thought you'd look good in. So, I bought it. It's just a skirt and a top but it's so cute that I had to get it for you." Layla blushed, making him smile more.

NRNRNR

Reed was leaning against the back of his couch with his arms and legs crossed. He was rubbing his chin while he waited for Layla to change into the outfit he had bought for her. He was excited. He wanted to watch her change but knew if he stayed in the room when your clothes started to come off...well they'd be late for the bar and her hair would be messed up. Reed grinned to himself, yeah, they would be late. That girl got him hard in three seconds flat.

" Reed?" She called out from his bedroom.

" I'm in the living room!" He called out.

A few seconds later she walked out, wearing a short, tight, black skirt with a line of ruffles around it and a tight, white wife beater with a sketch guitar picture on it. Her legs were covered in black, fish knit stockings. She was wearing a pair of black, slip on boots that reached her mid-cafe. Reed dropped his arms to his sides and took a hold of his couch as he smiled and watched her coming towards him. She tugged on the hem of the skirt.

" Wow." He said, standing up. She stopped walking a few paces in front of him.

" It's short." She said softly. Reed nodded and started towards her.

" Yeah it is, but the second I saw it I thought, who has the legs to pull that off? My beautiful girl does." He said as he started to circle her.

" I have short legs." Layla said. His hands came to waist while he walked slowly.

" You have great legs, Babe." Reed said. His eyes moved down her back to her ass. " Oh damn, I really want to take you to bed right now." She felt his hands slide along her back. " We got time, right?" He asked as he came to her side. He wrapped his arms around her and tucked her to him. " Come on, Baby, we got time." He started walking backwards to his room with a grin. He turned her so she was facing him. He interlaced their fingers and brought them to his mouth. He was staring her down as he sucked in her knuckles. Usually, when they started towards the bedroom, she would be blushing and smiling. But now, she looked nervous so he stopped walking. " What's wrong, Lay? Don't you like it?"

" It's just really short and tight." She said softly.

" It is but you look amazing. So sexy." He said. When she still looked unsure he frowned. " You don't have to wear it, if you don't like it." The look on his face made her heart beat harder. She wasn't comfortable in the outfit at all but he looked so disappointment that she didn't like it, that Layla wanted to wear it for him.

" I like it." She said quickly.

" Are you sure?" Reed asked excitedly. Layla smiled and nodded, making him smile. He yanked her harder to him and grabbed her by her ass. He hauled her up, forcing her to wrap his legs around his waist.

" We are going to have to be fast." She said softly.

" Yeah, Baby, we'll go fast." He promised as he turned and hurried to his room. He buried his mouth into her neck and nibbled against her skin, making her laugh.

When he reached his bed, he dropped her down straight away. He grabbed her boots and yanked them off then pushed up the skirt. He pulled the fish net stockings down and tossed them to the ground all with his closed mouth grin. Her panties joined the stockings soon after. He undid his belt and his zipper then pulled himself out before he mounted his bed.

" Baby, you ready for me?" He whispered.

She bit her lip and nodded as she spread her legs wider for him. He smiled and kissed her at the same time he pushed into her body. Layla squeezed his shoulders and sighed. He thrust hard, and kept moving until they were completely bonded together. She put her legs around his waist and sighed. Reed groaned, she moaned.

" Ah fuck..." He whispered as he started to move.

It was going to fast, he could feel it. As he thrust harder and harder into her warm, welcoming body, he could feel how fast it was going to go. She was already trembling and pulling his hair. Reed felt his balls tightening up as she moaned out his name. Holy hell he loved it when she did that. He loved the sound of his name in her voice. Lucky for them both, he knew her body as well as he knew his own so he knew what moves to make to bring her hard and fast. He brought his mouth to her neck as she started to break apart. Her orgasm ripping his out. He squeezed his eyes shut, dropped his mouth open and panted against her skin while he spilled himself inside her.

Afterwards, she laid on the bed with her face covered by her hands while he grinned and dressed her. He loved that she sometimes got embarrassed with her orgasms. He thought it was cute. When he went down on her, she couldn't even look at him afterwards. She always tried to stay quiet but that never lasted long.

" Come on, Baby, I'm starving. Let's get something to eat then head to the bar." Reed said once he straighten out her clothes.


	14. Chapter 14

_* Please Review!*_

" So, how the hell did you get her to wear that?" Jennifer asked while Reed and her waited for their drinks. He looked over to Layla who was talking with Sean, who was keeping his hands to himself, thankfully.

" I bought it for her and told her how great I thought she looked in it. I don't think she likes it." He said as Layla tugged on the skirt hem.

" Oh she doesn't like it but she looks great so keep buying her shit like that. She'll get used to it." Jennifer said.

The birthday party at the bar went well. No fights broke out and everyone seemed to get along. Reed watched how Layla acted. She was uncomfortable in the outfit and he couldn't understand why. He thought she looked so good that he stayed hard the entire time they were at the bar. He couldn't wait to get her back to his place. His eyes following her hands as she pulled at the bottom of the skirt, smoothed it over her ass or readjusted the shirt, yeah, she looked hot.

And he only kept his hands to himself until they were in the elevator of his building. Once the doors closed, he took a hold of Layla by her shoulders and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pressed himself into her back. Layla closed her eyes as his lips brushed against her neck. He sucked in a small amount of skin and nibbled on it.

" Did you have fun tonight?" He muttered low against her skin. She nodded as she took a hold of his arms. " Good. Everyone loved your skirt. My boys all told me how fucking hot you look in it." His lips brushed against her right temple. " They all agree, you are the best looking girl I have ever dated." He pressed his lips against the spot right behind her right ear.

" Reed." She whispered. There was something she wanted to say to him but the way his mouth was moving against her skin...well she couldn't think about anything. Then his hands moved to the edge of her skirt. His fingertips slipped into the hem of it. He let them trail just along the inside of it.

" Hottest girl I have been with." His voice was low and rough. It vibrated against her and made her moan. " We both have tomorrow off so I think we should spend it in my bed, on my floor, against the wall of my shower and on the couch. I have a few new things I want to try out, things I think you're really going to like." She whimpered as he took more of her skin into his mouth.

When the doors opened, she expected him to pull away from her but instead, he turned her to face him. He put his hands against her ass, pulled her against him and started walking them backwards. He kissed her hard and fast with his tongue exploding every inch of the inside of her mouth as he walked them straight ahead to his apartment. He was groaned, she was clutching his shirt and his hands were tight on her ass. When they reached his apartment door, he pressed her against it. His hands moved to the skirt edge where he pulled it up enough to get himself comfortably between her legs. He let his knee rub her, right in his favorite spot, the spot that drove her crazy.

" I love it when you're like this." He whispered against her mouth. " So close to falling apart, panting." His right hand went back to her ass were he squeezed it. His other hand went to her breast. He pulled her top down then her bra. He pushed her breast up and latched his mouth on her nipple. Layla felt her knees start to buckle but his leg held her up while it rubbed against her. He scrapped his teeth against her nipple, biting it carefully before he let it go.

" Reed." Her voice was breathless and completely laced with lust. He sucked her hard before letting her slip from his mouth. He kissed her neck and fixed her shirt.

" Do you know what you do to me?" He whispered. " No one has ever drove me this crazy before. You have so much power over me, you have no idea." It was completely true and she needed to know it. "Anything you want I'll gave you or do to you." He grabbed her hands, locked up their fingers and thrust them over her head as he kissed her. Her chest was heaving against his as she struggled to breath through her want. She was so wet, she knew it had soaked through her panties and was wetting his jeans. His mouth was warm and wet. His tongue was owing her. He squeezed her hands and groaned loudly. " Oh God, Baby, I need to get you inside before I strip you down and take you in the hallway." The way he was making her feel, Layla wasn't sure she'd cared where they had sex as long as they did it.

Reed pulled away from her and Layla was surprised to see his cheeks were flushed. His blue eyes were dark as he looked at her. His tongue went out and over his bottom lip. He was breathing hard. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her away from the door. His hand went into his pocket to pull out his keys and she could see that it was shaking. She adjusted her skirt with her heart racing. He opened the door, walked in then pulled her in with him.

" I want to make up for how fast it was earlier." Reed whispered as he shut and locked his door.

Without another word, he took her hand and they headed towards his bedroom. She was nervous, excited, and sporting a buzz. Her head was spinning from him and the shots she had done. Her heart was beating hard, down there. Layla just wanted to him to touch her, bad. She closed her eyes and let him lead her. Her skin was over heated and she couldn't wait to get naked and under his cool, white sheets.

" Let me close the curtains, Babe." Reed said, making her open her eyes.

Reed loved how flush her cheeks were. He could see how excited she was as he moved to his windows. She walked over to her side of his bed and he faced the windows again. He heard her moving around and hoped she was getting dressed. He hoped that when he turned back around, she'd be naked and waiting for him. He wanted her so bad, he was trembling as he drew his curtains shut.

And damn if luck wasn't on his side.

When he faced her, he had to hold his breath. She was laying in the center of his bed, on top of the covers, completely naked. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. She never just laid on his bed like that. His bedroom lights were on and she was just waiting for him with a smile. Reed opened his eyes and started towards her, knowing his eyes were flowing over her entire body. Her skin was pale against his black blanket.

" Oh man. Oh man." He kept repeating while she just smiled. She opened her legs, giving him full view of her sex. " Shit." He almost whispered. He could tell how wet she was. Without taking his eyes from her, he started hitting the wall, looking for his light switch. " Can I just dim the lights? I want to see you." She nodded as she bit her lip. He grabbed the dimmer and lowed the lights down low. It wasn't totally black but it dim enough that he felt she'd be comfortable.

As he walked towards his bed, he pulled off his shirt and slipped out of his shoes, all while he stared at her. She propped herself up on her elbows and bent her legs. He groaned and made a grab for his pants. He had teased her against his doorway but she was taking the sexual teasing to a whole new level, and she wasn't even touching him.

" Oh shit, Baby, the things I want to do to you." He whispered.

" Then do them." She whispered back.

" Above the blankets?" He asked as he undid his belt.

" Whatever you want." Layla couldn't have said anything better to him. He started working faster. He undid the button of his jeans and yanked the zipper down. He shook his legs enough to let the jeans fall to the floor then hooked his hands into his boxers. He pushed them down then crawled onto the bed.

" Are you serious?" He asked. She smiled and nodded. " I'm going to taste you then." Her lips parted as her cheeks flushed more. " Are you going to watch?"

" Do you want me too?" She asked.

" Oh God yeah." Reed's voice was hoarse.

" Then I'll watch." Silently he started thanking Sean for forcing all the shots on her.

He reached her knee first. He placed his hand on her left knee then brought his mouth to her. He ran his tongue down her leg making her hold her breath. He kissed her inner thigh, sucking in the skin he found there why guiding her legs apart more. Her head fell back as she moaned out. He bit the sensitive area between her thigh and her sex, making her whimper.

" Watch me, Babe." He whispered. " Please." She raised her head back up and looked down at him with heat and desire. ' I'm going to fall in love with her.' He thought to himself. Maybe he already was, he couldn't be sure. They hadn't known each other that long. Could it happen that fast?

He watched her face as he scoped the top of her sex into his mouth. Her hands went into tight fists at her sides. Reed brought his left hand to her and slowly slipped his index finger inside her, groaning at how warm and wet she was. The sound pushed through her, making her cry out and shut her eyes. Inside, Reed was grinning. He worked one then two fingers inside her, rubbing and feeling her while he hummed. Her head went back again, her mouth went open and her chest started to heave more. He flicked his tongue against her while he hummed, loving how loud she was getting. She collapse in his bed and grabbed him by his hair. Yeah, she liked the humming. He'd file that move away and would remember it for the next time he went down on her.

She moaned out his name and begged him to stop so he pulled out of her then slowly let her fall from his mouth. He knew what that meant. She was close. If he kept going, she was going to cum. He kissed his way up her tummy, giving her a few seconds to try and relax so she didn't explode then second he entered her. Although, he didn't think it was going to matter much. He wasn't going to last and he knew it. He was to turned on and wanted her to bad. She was still panting as he kissed up her chest and to her neck.

Her small hand came between them with him realizing it. She wrapped it around him and tugged him closer to her. The contact alone made he want cum in her hand. He squeezed his eyes shut and started counted as she guided him towards her entrance. Layla turned her face towards him and kissed him, surprising him as he sank into her. She pulled her legs up and held them tight against his sides.

As their tongues moved and fought against each other, he pumped hard into her body. Her legs tighten and squeezed him. Sweat broke out down his back as his muscles tensed and relaxed. He pulled his legs up so he was almost on his knees as he pistoned as hard into her as he could. They broke their kissing so he could rest his forehead against hers.

" Shit, Baby, I'm not going to last." He groaned out. " Oh shit! Oh shit! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" His voice grew louder and higher with every word.

" Reed!" She called out as her body froze under him. He had almost three seconds to be thankful for her orgasm before he was pulled down into his own.

NRNRNR

In the morning, when Layla woke, Reed was wrapped up tight against her. He was against her back with one arm around her waist and one leg in between hers. Layla sighed happily, loving how warm he felt. She opened her eyes and decided to start their normal Sunday breakfast, coffee, pancakes, and bacon. Reed loved bacon.

Layla carefully untangled herself from him then pushed the blankets off her. She slipped from his bed and made a grab for the overnight bag she kept at his place. She opened it up and pulled out her black pajama pants and white tee shirt. As she watched her perfect boyfriend sleep, she got dressed. She smiled at how sleep tossed his hair was. His lips were slightly parted and he was snuggled into his blankets. The right side of his hair was sticking up and when she remembered why, she blushed.

Layla quickly made her way to his bathroom to pee and brush her teeth. She kept a toothbrush, soap, shampoo and conditioner at his place. At her place he had his own stuff as well as a bag of clothes. Since they spent every night together, they both thought it was a good idea. After Layla was done, she came out of the bathroom and saw that he had rolled over onto his back. He had flung his left arm over his eyes and the blankets had gathered around his waist. His right leg was sticking out of it and was slightly bend. Layla smiled and quietly crossed his room. When she walked out, she pulled the door shut so she didn't wake him.

Layla made her way through his apartment and to the kitchen. Her phone was plugged into the charger and sitting on his counter. She checked her messages and saw there was none so she started the coffee. She moved around his kitchen, gathering everything she needed to make the pancakes and setting it on the counter. She knew his kitchen as well as she knew her own.

" Hey Baby." Reed's voice greeted her a second before he wrapped his arms around her.

" Hey." She said. He pressed his lips against the back of her neck. His mouth was wet from mouthwash.

" So I have some news. I meant to tell you yesterday but I forgot." He said as he pulled away. He moved to the counter so he was standing beside her. She tried to focus on his face and not on the fact that he was wearing only his boxers.

" What?" She asked. She looked to the bowl she had started mixing the pancakes in.

" My mom is flying in later today and I'd really like you to meet her." Layla looked at him in surprise.

" Your mom?" She asked.

" Yeah. I haven't seen her in almost four months. She is flying in and staying with me until Wednesday. I want you to meet her." He said. She looked back at the bowl.

" Oh, ah, when is she coming?" She asked, starting her stirring again.

" I have to be at the airport by six to pick her up." Reed said.

" You sure you don't just want to spend time with her alone?" Layla asked.

" I'll get alone time with her. I took tomorrow off and I'm only working half a day Tuesday and Wednesday. So will you come with me to pick her up and have dinner?" He asked. Layla swallowed hard but found herself nodding. " Good." Reed moved towards her and kissed her cheek. " I'm going to get dressed then run down and grab the paper. I'll be back." When he disappeared out his kitchen, Layla moved to her phone and snatched it up. She quickly dialed Jennifer's number. It rang five times before her friend answered.

" Reed wants me to meet his mom." Layla said quickly.

" So meet her." Jennifer said after she yawned.

" I don't know. That means things are serious. I mean, I haven't even told my mom about him yet." Reed heard her say from his hallway. He frowned. He hadn't stopped talking about her and she hadn't said a word about him. Maybe he had misjudged their relationship. With a shake of his head, he turned and headed towards his room.

" Why hasn't she told her mom about Reed?" Layla heard Sean mutter.

" Did Sean spend the night with you?" She asked in surprise.

" Her mom's a different sort of person." Jennifer said to Sean. " And you never mind why he's here." She said to Layla.

" I can't tell her, Jennifer, you know that. I can't tell her about another failed relationship and listen to her complain." Layla said.

" Layla, you and Reed are the strongest couple I know. You two have been together a little over a month and look how amazing you guys are." Jennifer let out a gasp and then a whimper, making Layla frown.

" What are you doing?" She snapped.

" Tell Cindy about Reed." Jennifer almost moaned out. There was some rustling and it sounded like she dropped the phone. " Oh my God, I love your mouth!" Layla heard Jennifer call out. She disconnected the call and gagged.

Maybe Jennifer was right. Maybe Reed would be the one her mother approved of and Layla wouldn't have to hear about what a loser Cindy thought he was...


	15. Chapter 15

_* Please Review!*_

' Hey mom, do me a favor, don't tell Layla how much I have been talking about her.' Reed's text message read.

The rest of the day Layla noticed how different Reed acted. He barely looked at her for longer than a minute. He hardly spoke to her. When she jumped in his shower, she expected him to join her like he always did but he never came in. In fact, after she was dressed, he walked into his bathroom and took his own shower.

The ride to the airport was just as quiet as their day together. His right hand gripped his steering wheel while his left elbow rested against his window frame. He was rubbing his bottom lip. Layla kept glancing at him then out the windshield, wondering what was going on between them. A part of her wondered if Sean had said something to him about her mother not knowing anything about him. The thought made her close her eyes. That had to be it. Layla sighed and opened her eyes as Reed parked his car. He had decided to drive his car instead of his truck because of his mom.

" Ah...I need to ask you something." She said quietly.

" What? We don't have that much time before we need to be inside." Reed said without looking at her. She clasped her hands together on her lap.

" Are we okay?" He sighed and looked out his window.

" Why?" He asked.

" Well because you have hardly spoken to me today." She said. Reed closed his eyes and swallowed hard.

" We're fine, Babe." He said.

" I was thinking, since I'm meeting your mom, maybe you should meet mine." Reed opened his eyes and tighten his jaw as he looked out his window.

" I don't have too if you don't want me too." He said.

" No, I do but there is something you need to understand about her." Layla said. " My mom isn't the baking cookies, giving out a lot of hugs type of mother. I mean, for the first half of my childhood I was more of a bother to my mother than her child." Reed frowned and looked back at her.

" What?" He asked.

" My mom didn't really become interested in me until I was teen. When I started wanting to learn about make-up and clothes, she started to want to do things with me." Layla said as they stared at each other. "My mom is not very lovingly. I mean, I can't really remember her ever hugging me and I was only allowed to kiss her cheek because she didn't want her lipstick ruined."

" Are you serious, Lay?" Reed couldn't image that. He and his mom had always hugged each other.

" Yeah well, she wanted to look perfect, all the time. She wanted to be hugged and kissed on her time and that was when someone important was watching." She said as she looked away. Suddenly Reed had an understanding of why she was the way she was with showing him affection. He understood why she didn't reach for him first. She had been conditioned to not move to someone unless they came to her. Reed shook his head and reached his hand out to her.

" You know you don't have to be like that with me." He said as they clasped hands. Layla leaned her head back against his seat and stared at him. " I want you to touch me. I want you to kiss me and hug me on your own. I want you to hold my hand first."

" That's really hard for me." She said softly.

" I understand that, Layla, I do so all I'm asking is that you promise me you will try. You will try and come to me without me going to you first. I mean, it would be nice, you know what I mean? If you started sex instead of me." Reed said.

" I'll try." She said, making him smile.

" That's all I ask." He said as he leaned forward. " We need to go and get my mom now but kiss me first." Layla smiled, feeling better that she had opened up to him. She let go of his hand and brought her hands to his neck. She kissed him lightly. " Thank you, Baby." He whispered.

NRNRNR

Reed held Layla's hand tight while they waited for his mother to appear. He was almost pushing his weight back and forth from one leg to another. He was excited, she could tell. He was grinning and squeezing her. He just wanted to see his mom and introduce Layla. He was sure they would love each other and if anyone could get Layla comfortable with touching, it was her. Reed's mother loved to hug people.

" There she is!" Reed said excitedly. He pulled Layla to him and put one arm around her neck. Layla smiled and put her arms around his waist. There was a tall woman with Reed's dark hair hurrying towards them. Her smile was bright and Layla knew she had to be his mother.

" Reed!" The woman called out. Layla went to pull away but Reed tighten his hold of her.

" Hey Mom." He said, reaching his free hand out to her. The woman took his hand and they moved into each other. Layla pulled her arms away from him as the woman put hers around him. His mother stepped up and kissed his cheek, making Reed grin.

" You must be Layla." She said when she pulled away. She took a hold of Layla's arms and pulled her away from Reed. To Layla's surprise, his mother hugged her tightly. " You're so beautiful!" She pulled away and planted a kiss on each other Layla's cheeks. " I have heard so much about you, I'm so glad I'm finally meeting you!"

The three went out to dinner with Reed's mother, Donna, talking excitedly to Layla. Reed was all smiles, glad to see his mom and girlfriend were getting along so well. The conversation never died and Layla grew more and more comfortable with her. By the time dinner was over and they were headed back to Reed's apartment, Donna and Layla were sitting in the backseat together, talking. Donna had a death grip on Layla's hand. Reed was smiling to himself.

Once at the apartment, Donna went into his spare bedroom while Reed and Layla stood across from each other in his kitchen. Donna was going to put her bags away and come back out. Layla was deciding if she should stay or leave. She liked Donna and she thought his mom liked her but she didn't want the woman to think Layla was over staying her welcome.

" Well, I guess I should go." She finally said.

" Ah, no." Reed said, reaching across to grab her by her shirt.

" Your mom won't mind me staying here?" She asked as he pulled her to him.

" No. My mom adores you. Besides, I thought we'd curl up in my bed and watch a movie." Reed said. He wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. " I'll set my alarm, you have clothes here, just stay with me."

" Are you sure?" Layla asked. She snuggled her head into his chest and put her arms around his waist.

" Yeah. I want you to stay here the whole time she's here. We're coming to the shop tomorrow for lunch, then meet up for dinner and you come back here." He said into her hair.

" Alright you two, " Donna said as she came out of the bedroom. " I'm going to bed. Layla, I'm sure I will see you in the morning and then later because our Reed promised to take me to your store."

There was a chorus of good nights before the three went into the bedrooms.

NRNRNR

Layla held off calling her mom as long as she could. Her mom was so negative that thinking about talking to her made Layla sick and nervous. She dialed up her mom's number and closed her eyes. She was forcing herself to deep breath because she was pretty sure her mom could smell fear, even though the phone. Three rings in, Cindy answered.

" Hello, Layla." Her tone was chipped and cold, which was usual.

" Hi, Mom." She said.

" What did you need?" Cindy asked.

" I would like to invite you to dinner on Thursday night. I am dating someone I'd like you to meet." She said.

" Oh really? Does this man have a job?" Cindy asked.

" Yes, Mom. He's name is Reed." Reed heard her say as he came into her office. He smiled and strolled in, clearing his throat so he didn't scare her. Layla looked up and offered up a small smile.

" Hey you." Reed whispered as he perched on the edge of her desk.

" Good. I want to go to Dante's." She said. Layla closed her eyes and shook her head.

" Mom, Dante's is..." Expensive she was going to say.

" Perfect." Reed said, making her open her eyes again. He nodded. " Tell her it's perfect."

" Perfect." Layla said.

" Good. Tell him I will be there at seven. I hope he's better than the last few boyfriends you have had." Cindy said. Reed stood up and moved to the back of Layla's chair. He planted his hands on her shoulders and started to rub them hard. He leaned down to whisper into Layla's ear.

" Relax, Baby." His breath was warm against her skin and made her close her eyes.

" He is." Layla said softly, enjoying how his hands massaged her.

" Make sure that he is. I don't want my time wasted meeting another loser. I'm sick of the looks people give me when I have to tell them my daughter is in another going no where relationship." Cindy said. Layla sighed and felt Reed brush his lips against her temple.

" I understand, Mother." She said.

" Dante's has a dress code, you well remember. I expect you to dress well and make sure he is as well." Cindy said.

" Yes, Mother." Layla said.

" Alright, I will see you then." Without another word, Layla's mother hung up the phone. Layla sighed and set her phone on her lap while Reed continued to rub her.

" We don't have to go to Dante's. I can cancel. It's so expensive there." She said.

" It's okay, Babe. Is that's where she wants to go, we will go." Reed said.

" She likes to pretend the money in her account is hers but's it belongs to number 5." Layla said.

" Who's number 5?" Reed asked.

" Jerry, her fifth husband. My mom only marries rich men." She said.

" Was your dad rich?" He asked. Under his hands, her shoulders finally started to relax.

" My dad died when she was pregnant with me so I don't know. The men she goes have always had money for as long as I can remember. She stays married for a while then divorces them and takes what she can." Layla said. Reed smiled and moved his left hand to her chin. He tilted her head up as he looked down at her.

" Try not to worry, okay?"

" I have to go and get a new outfit." She said as he stroked his knuckle against her throat.

" Why don't you see if Layfayette can work in the morning and go shopping with my mom while I work. I know she'd love that."

" Where is she now?"

" Buying things. She loves fairies." He said as he leaned down and kissed her.


	16. Chapter 16

_* Please Review! Drama is not over*_

" The black one. Get the black dress." Donna said. Layla stared at herself in the mirror in one of the stores she and Donna were shopping in. She ran her hands down the sides of the sleeveless, plain, short black dress.

" I don't know." Layla said as she turned to the side. " I look kind of pale and it's really short. And tight." Donna stood up and walked over to her.

" It's not to tight. If I was as tiny as you are I'd wear things like this all the time and you don't look pale. You were born to wear black. Your skin looks great. As far as it being short, it stops about two inches above your knees, trust me Honey, that's not to short." Donna said. She took a hold of Layla's hips and turned to face the mirror head on.

" Are you sure?" Layla asked.

" Yes. You look beautiful." Donna said.

The rest of Donna's time there, the three spent together. Donna and Layla made dinner with Donna thanking Layla for making Reed buy more things then milk, eggs, beer, and orange juice. They would then watch movies and play board games. Donna made Layla feel more comfortable than her mother did her entire life. When Donna left, Layla was actually sad to see her go.

NRNRNR

Reed was waiting in his living room while Layla was getting ready for their dinner with her mother. Donna made them both promise to not show Reed the dress until Layla was completely ready. Reed was looking out his window with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing dark, nice jeans, a long sleeve grey shirt and black tie. He had the sleeves rolled up to just past his elbows. When he heard the small clicks of he high heels, he turned around and sucked in a deep breath.

Layla had completely straighten her hair and was wearing it down her back. Her blue eyes were highlighted with black eyeliner and a smoky eye shadow trick she had learned to do by watching the internet. On her left wrist was a small sliver bracelet. She was wearing a pair of black heels Reed hadn't seen before and they were high. Her dress was skin tight. When he didn't say anything, she brought her weight to her left leg and let her fingers trail along the hem of the dress.

" Say something." She said softly. Reed started to stroke his goatee.

" What the hell can I say?" He asked just as softly.

" Is it to much?" She asked.

" No. It is...so perfect." He dropped his hand, smiled and started forward. " It is not what I expected. Layla, you look stunning." He said. When he reached her, he took her hands, pulled her against his chest and interlaced their fingers. " I love those heels. I can almost feel them digging into me." He said with a smirk that made her blush.

NRNRNR

" There she is." Layla whispered to Reed. They were standing inside the restaurant when a black town car pulled up to the curb.

" Are you sure?" Reed asked. His right arm was around her waist and his hand was resting on her ass. It looked to great in her new dress for him to not touch it plus, he wanted the men that were eyeing her to know she had a boyfriend.

" Yeah. My mom's favorite car is a black town car. She makes all her husbands buy her new ones." Layla said.

" Alright, Baby. It's going to be fine." He whispered as the driver of the town car opened the back passenger door.

Out stepped a beautiful, blond haired woman who had Layla's face. She was dressed completely to the nines. Her hair, make-up, and nails were perfect. She was wearing a pair of black silk pants and a white button down blouse that was tucked into her pants. A tiny little black belt was around her waist. She had the blouse button down low enough for them to see the cleavage of her new breasts. Her hair was pulled up into a neat french twist. In her ears were studded diamond earrings and a gold chain was around her neck. The only difference between her face and Layla's was Cindy was frowning as she made her way towards the door which was opened for her right away.

" Layla, so nice to see you." Cindy said in a cold, distance voice.

" You too, as always." Layla said as she pulled away from Reed. The two women grasped hands and leaned in to fake kiss each other's cheeks.

" You must be Reed." Cindy said when they pulled apart.

" I am. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Winters." He said as he held his hand out to her. Cindy gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. Reed took a her hand and kissed the top of it, making Cindy's eyebrows go up. She approved, so far. " I called ahead and made reservations so our table is ready. I also asked that they put a bottle of Martini and Rossi in some ice for us. It is already at the table." Layla was stunned. She hadn't known how well Reed had planned things.

" Well, this is a nice change. Please, lead the way." Cindy said with another fake smile. Reed gently tucked her hand into his arm then took Layla's hand and did the same.

The dinner went well, as well as Layla could hope for it to go. Reed was a little surprised in Layla's mother. She cut everything she ate into the tiniest bits of food he had ever seen. Every bit she took, she chewed for almost five minutes before she would swallow it. She held her silverware in her small hands and smiled as they talked. After dinner, they all had a cup of coffee.

" So tell me, Reed Harris, what is it that you do for a living?" Cindy almost purred. Layla glared at her mother. She was boldly flirting with him. Reed sensed it and put his right hand under the table and on Layla's leg.

" I fix the lights on billboards." He said. Cindy frowned and sighed.

" And do you make enough to support and take care of my daughter?" She asked, making Layla blush.

" Mother!" She said quickly. Reed smiled and squeezed her knee.

" I actually do. If Layla chose to sell her store and move in with me, we would be fine." He said.

" This is what you need, Layla. A real man to take care of you. Now you can get rid of that horrible store. Do you drive?"

" I own a car, a truck, and a motorcycle." Reed answered, knowing just what Cindy was doing.

" So you have a lot of debt." Cindy said.

" My car and motorcycle are paid off. I only have one more year and my truck will be paid off." He said. Cindy nodded slowly.

" Well, Layla, you should try and keep this one. He's quite a step up from the losers you usually pick." Cindy said. Layla wanted to close her eyes and disappear. " Reed, did you know that my daughter was a late bloomer? She didn't even have her first kiss until she was seventeen." Layla pleaded with her mother using her eyes.

' Please stop.' Cindy only smiled.

" She was in the marching band, despite what I said. And she didn't really start to become the pretty girl she is now until she was almost eighteen. You should have seen her." Cindy giggled to herself and Layla wanted to died. " Her hair was so short, it looked stupid and her skin! Well, look at it. She could glow in the dark! Layla, Darling, black, really? What have I told you about wearing black? Reed, please tell her if she is going to wear black then she needs to tan." Reed put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and pulled her into him. He started to stroke her slowly as his anger grew.

" Well actually, I prefer a woman who is natural. Completely, 100% natural. I prefer a woman who doesn't waste her time laying around in a tanning bed..." He was pissed and was going to take a shot at her. " or under a surgeons knife." How the hell could this woman talk about her daughter the way that she was? At his comment Cindy's chin came up and her pretty eyes narrowed. Layla grabbed Reed's knee under the table.

" Layla, please join me in the restroom. I think I need to freshen up before we part ways." Cindy said as she stared at Reed. Without waiting for an answer, Cindy became to slide out of the booth. Reed stood up and gently helped Layla to stand.

" Don't let her bully you." He whispered to her. Then he gently kissed her cheek before he let her go.

Like a caring mother Cindy was not, she put her arm around Layla's and the two started towards the bathrooms. Cindy was smiling and dolling out small waves to a few people she knew but she was annoyed. Layla could tell by how hard she was holding her arm. No one talked to Cindy the way that Reed had. No one talked about or even hinted that Cindy had work done.

Once they walked into the bathroom, Cindy let go of Layla and moved to the mirror. She opened her little clutch purse and started to reapply her lipstick. Layla joined her mother, unsure of what to say. Cindy refused to meet her eyes. Layla was trying to breath slowly and ready herself for whatever Cindy was going to throw at her.

" Well, he's something." Cindy finally said. " He's very handsome, I will give you that, very handsome indeed. His hair is a bit unruly and long but his eyes are beautiful. He's a huge step forward from your usual." Layla nodded. Cindy tossed her lipstick into her purse then spun around to face her daughter.

" He's great." Layla said.

" You know what you must do. If you never remember anything I ever say to you, remember this. The way to keep him happy is with sex and oral sex. No matter what you are in the mood for, his needs come first. Men want sex and they want blow jobs, all of them, even your little Reed out there. You heard what he said. You want to give up your shop and live with him, he would take care of you." Cindy said.

" Mom," Layla started but stopped when Cindy held up one hand.

" Listen to me, Layla. If you give him what he wants then there is nothing he won't do for you. That was a lesson it took me a long time to learn. Had I put my mens needs ahead of my own then I wouldn't have been married so many times. Keep him happy." For once in Layla's life she saw some emotion flash through her mother's usually cold eyes. " Keep him happy in bed and he won't cheat on you. You won't be forced to keep remaking yourself so you are never alone."

" Mom, it's okay to be alone, you know." Layla said.

" No, it's not. People say horrible things about you when you are single, trust me. Life is ten times harder when you are single. It's lonely and cold." Cindy closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. She swallowed hard then looked back at her. " See me to my car." Without waiting for a word, Cindy walked out of the bathroom, leaving Layla speechless.

NRNRNR

Reed and Layla were laying together in his big bathtub. His head was back and his eyes were closed. He had his left arm around her waist and his right one resting on the tub edge. Layla's hair was floating around her like a dark cloud. The warm water and bubbles covered their naked bodies. When Cindy drove away from them that night, Layla had been filled with so much tension, Reed had suggested the bath to relax her. He wanted them both to relax but now he was hard and resting against her. Layla opened her legs more and hooked them around his. She brought her hands to him and wrapped them around his dick, making Reed open his eyes.

" Baby." He whispered.

When she started to stroke him, Reed groaned and closed his eyes again. His right arm sank down into the water and he placed his hand between her legs. With his middle finger he began to rub her slowly. Layla closed her own eyes and moaned as she breathed out. She stroked him in time with his rubs. As he moved down her, her hands moved down his shaft. As he came up, so did she. She twisted her hands gently, he started making circles. His other hand moved to her right breast where he teased her nipple. Her legs went tight against his. He dug his heels into his tub.

Some water splashed over the tub and onto the floor as they thrust their hips together. His mouth was open and he was muttering and groaning her name and his nickname for her, throwing in a few Oh Gods. She was biting her lip and trying her best to be quiet, trying hard to hold in her pleasure until the very last possible moment. As she started to orgasm, she moaned loud and arched her back. His hips bucked as he sent himself flowing into the water.

He raised his head up and let his mouth come to rest against the side of her head after they were coming down.

" Oh shit, Baby." He whispered. " That was awesome. No one has ever done that before to me." She sighed with her eyes shut and loosen her legs on him. " Let's get you out and dried off. After all that, I'm fucking tired and I just want to curl up with you in bed."

Layla's skin was hot against his as they laid in his bed. She was on her left side with him against her back. His legs were tangled with hers. She was pass out and sleeping peacefully. Reed was far from sleeping. He was running his fingers up and down her arm, deep his thoughts. He meant what he said to her mother and he knew it. He'd let her move in and gladly take care of her and that surprised him. He had dated other girls for longer than he had been dating Layla and hadn't felt like that. He had once had a girlfriend for a little over two years and they hadn't lived together. Yet here he was with a girl he had found by accidentally dialing her number and was spending every night with her. Maybe he should ask her to move in with him. Reed closed his eyes and shook his head. No, not yet. He wanted her there but he still wanted to give her some time. He didn't want her to panic by rushing things.


	17. Chapter 17

_* Please Review! __**Nymphchild**__, I added something for you! Can you find it?*_

Layla's mother's words rang in her head. Men wanted sex and blow jobs. If she wanted to keep him happy, she needed to give him both whenever he wanted them. Not that she had ever turned him down for sex and he never asked her for blow jobs. Not that she hadn't done them before for him, he just didn't ask for them. But her mother's words were there and she couldn't get them out of her head.

Reed was surprised at the changed in Layla after meeting her mother. They were having sex on a regular basic but after the dinner, her sex drive went into overdrive. They were either having sex or she would give him head in the morning, sometimes they would sneak off in his truck at lunch for sex, and then again when they went to bed. Sometimes, after dinner, she'd want to blow him while they watched TV. He wasn't complaining, he was just surprised. Although no one was more surprised than Sean when he walked into Reed's place in the middle of one her improv blow jobs. She was even wearing some of the sexy outfits he had bought for her. He couldn't help but think that her earlier problems with touching him had been because of tension she had felt about him meeting her mother.

" Harris!" Sean yelled as he flung open Reed's door. " What the hell?" Layla fell back onto the floor while Reed struggled to fix his pants. He jumped up and gave his friend his back.

" What the hell is wrong with you!" Reed yelled. Layla was blushing hard and whipping her mouth as she stood up.

" What's wrong with me? What is wrong with you two? Lock the door if you're getting blown. Damn Dude!" Sean said. " If I have to walk in on some oral sex why wouldn't it have been you eating her out."

" Dude!" Reed yelled as Layla hurried towards his bedroom. " What the fuck!"

NRNRNR

" What's wrong, Baby?" Reed said over the phone, two months into their relationship.

" I just don't feel good today." She said. " My head hurts and I'm tired."

" You want me to bring over some soup for dinner tonight?" He asked.

" Yeah, that sounds good. I'm actually going home early to lay down. Lala said he'd close up for me."

" Okay. Well, I'll be over at six than."

" Okay." Layla said with a sigh.

" Feel better."

NRNRNR

Reed walked down the porch to her apartment with a bag from one of their favorite little cafes. It was a place called Bread and they sold the best soup. When Reed reached her doorway, he quickly went through his keys until he found the one to her place. They had exchanged keys three weeks beforehand. He knew she was sleeping because he had texted her and she hadn't answered him or called him back.

Quietly, Reed let himself into her apartment and looked towards her living room. She was laying on the couch under her favorite blanket. He smiled, closed and re-locked the door, then walked to her table. After he set the bag on the table, he walked over to the couch. He sat down next to her and leaned forward. Reed smiled as she sighed. He touched her cheek and thought about waking her up but decided against it. He could always warm up her soup later.

He sat back and started to rub her hip while he turned his attention to her TV. Her phone was sitting on her coffee table, flashing his text message. He leaned forward and snatched up her remote then started scrolling through for something to watch while she slept. He settled on The Lost Boys. He sat back only to sit forward again when her phone started to ring. To his surprise, her mom flashed on the caller ID.

" Hello, Mrs. Winters." He said when he answered it.

" Why are you answering my daughter's phone?" Cindy's cold voice chirped.

" She's sleeping. She wasn't feeling well today and I don't want to wake her up right now." Reed said as he stood up.

" Well, I just...I just called to check up on you both. I haven't talked to her since our dinner and I wanted to see how things were going." She said. Reed frowned while he walked to her balcony. They hadn't spoken together in a month? He just couldn't imagine that. He spoke with his mother every day.

" We are doing well. And you?" He asked. As quietly as he could, he slid open the balcony door and stepped out.

" I am well also. So I take it Layla has taken my advice on how to handle you?" Cindy asked.

" What?" Reed asked in confusion. The balcony slid close quickly.

" My advice. I told her that all men want is sex and blow jobs and that if she wanted to keep you happy, she needed to have sex and give you oral sex as much as she could." Cindy said. Her voice was very matter-of-fact.

" You said what?!" Reed almost yelled.

NRNRNR

When Layla started to wake up, the first thing she noticed was someone was tapping her hip. She sighed and opened one eye, then the next. She turned her head to see Reed sitting beside her. His right hand was tapping her while he chewed on the thumb nail of his left hand. He looked pissed, so pissed that Layla frowned.

" What's wrong?" She asked. He jumped at the sound her voice and looked at her in surprise.

" What?" He asked. Layla started to sit up.

" You look pissed. What's wrong?" She asked. He looked back at her TV and narrowed his eyes.

" I need to ask you something and I need you to be completely honest with me, okay?" He asked without looking at her.

" Okay." Layla said quietly. He took a deep breath then let it out slowly. He turned carefully and faced her.

" Have we been having sex and have you been giving me blow jobs because your mother told you too?" Layla's face paled and he knew the answer. Maybe he should be grateful to her mother, that's what Sean had said, but he wasn't. He didn't want her to use sex or oral sex as a way to keep him. He didn't want her to think she needed to do all that to make him want her. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Layla, come on. Why would you do that?"

" I just thought she might be right. I mean..." Reed stood up and put his hands on his hips as he started to pace.

" You thought you should take the advice of a woman who has been married five times? Here I thought our talk in my car when we went to pick up my mom had worked. I thought you were doing all that because you really just wanted me but no! You were doing it because your mother said to do it!" He almost yelled.

" I do! It's just that I'm...I just get nervous when it comes to sex things and"

" Well you need to get the hell over that!" Reed finally did yell, making her sit up straight.

" Why are you yelling at me?" She asked. Reed faced her and dropped his hands.

" Because I don't understand you! What is wrong with you that you can't just touch me because you want me, not because she told you too! You are a grown ass woman! You don't need your mom to tell you how to act with your boyfriend like you are child!" He yelled.

" Don't talk to me like that." Layla said.

" Why the hell not? You let your mother talk to you like this. Why shouldn't I?" He yelled. Layla frowned and pushed her blanket off her as she stood up.

" You know what? I want you to leave." She said.

" Oh I'm not going anywhere. We are talking about this. Why won't you touch me?" Reed asked while he still yelled.

" I don't want to talk to you!" She said as she walked around her coffee table.

" Why wouldn't you touch me?!" He asked again. Layla shook her head and walked past him, heading straight to her room. " Answer me, Layla! You better answer me!"

" Or what?!" She yelled as she spun around to face him. " You'll leave?"

" Well I guess not if you blow me!"

" Get out!" She yelled and pointed to her front door.

" Why don't you just blow me instead! Sucking dick fixes things and makes people stronger, right? That's how you think, isn't it?! Works for whores, doesn't it! They suck dick and get what they want and why shouldn't you!" Reed yelled. His head was rocked to the side when she delivered a hard punch to his jaw.

" Fuck you! Get out!" Layla yelled. Reed brought his hand to the left side of his jaw as he looked at her in shock.

" Layla, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." He said.

" Get out! I don't want to see you!" She yelled, grabbing her bedroom door.

" Babe..." She slammed her door shut, right in his face.

" Get out!" She yelled through the door. Reed put his hands on either side of her door frame and leaned forward.

" Baby, come on. I'm sorry, Layla." He said.

" I said get out!" Reed dropped his head and closed his eyes.

" Layla, I was way out of line, it's just" The door to her room opened, making his head whip out. She tossed his bag of clothes at him, making him jump and struggle to catch it.

" There's your shit! Leave my key on the table and get the fuck out!" She yelled before she slammed her door again.

" Are you breaking up with me?!" He asked in disbelief.

" Yes!'

" No! We can't break up, come on! Layla, just think about this!" He called.

" You know what? This isn't working so yeah, we are breaking up. I am not what you need or want."

" Are you serious?! You are all I want! You are all I need, come on!" He said as he let his fist bang against her bedroom door.

" No, I'm not and you know it! You buy me things that aren't me! You buy me clothes and shit that isn't me at all! You don't want me," She opened the door with her face filled with sadness. " you want someone who isn't me. Those things, those clothes, they just aren't me. They never have been and they never will be." She finished in her normal voice.

" Then don't wear them. I only bought them because I thought they would help you to see yourself as I see you. I wanted you to see how beautiful you are." Reed said quietly.

" Worked out well for you now, didn't it?" She said, shutting her door again. She leaned against it and closed her eyes.

" Baby, please. I just thought if you saw how good you looked, you'd love yourself as much...as much as I love you." He admitted as he closed his eyes. He leaned his forehead against the door. He touched his fingertips to it gently. " Did you hear me, Layla? I love you. I love you so much it's crazy." He started to draw circles on her door.

" Go away, Reed." She called.

" I love you, Layla. I think I fell in love with you before I even left the hospital." When she didn't say anything, he opened his eyes and stood up straight. " I know I did. I know I was in love with you before I even met you." She opened the door and his heart started to race. She blinked at him and opened her mouth to speak. ' She's going to say it back.' He said as his heart pumped in his chest.

" Go home. I don't want to see you." Layla said. His heart sank down to the ground as his face fell.

" Baby, " He said softly.

" I'm tired and I don't feel good. I'm going to bed. Go away." She closed the door again.


	18. Chapter 18

_* Please Review! __**Caffiend04: **__I heard him mention it in an interview once. He likes their soups__** Tylerradar:**__ Thank you!*_

" What!" Sean barked into his phone.

" Meet me at the bar!" Reed snapped.

" Right now?" Sean asked, his voice breathless.

" Yes, right now. Why? What the hell are you doing? Are you working out?" Reed asked.

" Ah..." Sean's head was pulled back when Jennifer yanked on his hair hard. " Yeah. Can I call you back?"

" No. I need you to come to the bar! Layla and I just broke up!" Reed said.

" Wait. What?" Sean asked. Jennifer bit into his shoulder, making him hiss.

" We broke up, what are you doing?" Reed yelled.

" Hang up." Jennifer whispered in his ear as she wrapped both hands around his dick and started to stroke. She was sitting against his back but pressed up against him.

" Sean!" Reed yelled.

" Hang up." Jennifer whispered as she stroked harder and faster. Sean's eyes shut as his hips jerked.

" I'll be there." He said through gritted teeth. He was torn. His best friend needed him right now but his girl was jerking him off and that felt great. His head went back to rest against her. " Ah shit. I'll be there." He groaned. Jennifer giggled.

" Are you serious right now! Are you having sex while you're on the phone with me?! Layla and I broke the fuck up!" Reed yelled.

" I'm coming, just give me five minutes." Sean said as he hung up and tossed his phone to his bed. He turned his head towards Jennifer and brought his left arm up to wrap his hand around her neck. He kissed her hard as he panted.

NRNRNR

Reed held tight onto his beer and stared into the dark liquid. He had done what she wanted, he had left her apartment but he hadn't left his key. She just needed to cool off. He was sure that either later that night or the next morning she would call him and tell him she loved him. She felt it and he knew it. How could she not? They were perfect together. They were meant to be together.

" Alright, Dude, tell me what happen." Sean said as he slipped down next to his friend.

" She broke up with me." He muttered.

" Did you say something about what her mom told you?"

Sean nodded and listen as Reed retold the events of the night. Reed turned in his seat so he was facing his friend. Sean took a few drinks, listening to Reed. He watched his friend as Reed checked his phone over and over again while he talked. Sean knew what he was doing, what he was waiting for, but he knew it wouldn't come. Jennifer told him that Layla would not call Reed. If she was angry, she wouldn't call him.

" Well, you shouldn't have said that shit about the whores and blow jobs." Sean said when Reed was done.

" I know!" Reed groaned, turning back to the bar. " I was mad." He shook his head and sighed.

" I still don't get the problem. You have this hot girl who either wants to fuck you stupid or suck your dick off, everyday, and you are pissed off. Do you know how many guys would love that?" Sean asked. " I mean, what is the problem? Is the sex not good? Is she bad at giving head? What? I need you to explain shit to me because when I walked in on you two with her on her knees and your head back, you looked like you were more than enjoying yourself." Reed shook his head and looked his friend.

" She wasn't doing it because she wanted me. She was doing it all because she thought I'd leave her if she didn't. I'm not like you, okay? I want her to touch me because she wants too. I want her to have sex with me or do whatever with me because she wants me, not because she's scared. This whole time I thought she was enjoying herself as much as I was but now I don't know." Reed said.

NRNRNR

_" Lay, hey, it's me. The guy from the hospital. Call me back, please. I...I need you to call me back."_ Reed's first drunk voice message said.

_" Come on, Baby. You can't...you can't break us up. This is one fight."_

_" Layla, I'm coming over."_

_" Hey, it's Sean. He's not coming over. I took his keys. I'm staying with him for the night. He's kind of a mess right now. But, on a lighter note, I know Jennifer is sleeping over so if you two decide to mess around, please take pictures for me! Thanks, Honey!"_

_" Fucking Sean...took my keys...I can't come over. He hid them. Fuck him. Call me. I just, I just need you, to call me. I meant what I said, I love you."_

_" I don't understand why you're mad at me! I didn't do anything! You were the one who didn't touch me on your own! I touched you all the time! I love touching you but you couldn't touch me to touch me! Maybe we shouldn't be together! Maybe I should find someone who wants me to touch me!"_

_" I'm sorry, you know I want to be with you. I just want you to touch me. Just...just...touch me, Layla. Just...touch me..." _His voice trailed off at the end.

Reed was not an emotional drunk, she knew that. He was either a happy, quiet drunk who smiled his usual closed mouth smile and kept his arm around her neck. Or he was hype and loud, jumping around and fake fighting with Sean. Either way, he didn't get nasty and he didn't pick real fights. He would grab her and yank her in tight to him. He'd kiss her hard and fast. It would be sloppy and she would laugh. He would hold her close, gripping her ass or hips. Or he'd put his arms around her neck and smile down at her while they talked. But he never got nasty and emotional.

NRNRNR

Reed squinted his eyes even though he was wearing his sunglasses. His head was slamming as he drove to her shop the next morning. It was Saturday, he had off but she would be working. He didn't want to cause a scene but she wouldn't answer her phone or send him any texts. He vaguely remembered calling her and begging for her but he couldn't remember everything he said.

Reed pulled his truck up to the curb and across from her shop. He took a hold of his steering wheel but didn't shut the truck off. He stared at the shop with a million things running through his head. He could see her through one of the big windows. She was standing by one of the big fake trees with her arms crossed over her chest. She was smiling at one of the guys who delivered things to her every week. A medium height, medium built, dirty blond haired guy that Reed had told her liked her. He couldn't stand the guy. Every time Reed saw him the guy was hitting on her, even after he found out Layla had a boyfriend. Now the guy was standing with one hand on the back of his neck, smiling down at her like an idiot.

Reed shut his truck off and opened the door. He groaned as he moved. He had been so drunk the night before that he had sat down in his hallway and passed out. Sean, his ' best friend' had just left him there. He had covered Reed with a blanket but that was it. Now Reed's body was sore and his head was throbbing but he didn't care. He would push through the pain. He jogged across the street and to the door of her shop. When he pulled the door open, a little chime went off, pulling her eyes to him.

Layla's smile faded slowly as Reed walked in, dressed in his dark jeans, brown Doc Martins, a dark grey zip up hoodie and black sunglasses. His hair as wet and parted to the right. She could see the lines in it from where he had used his fingers to push it around. He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. He was pale, his mouth was closed and tight but damn if he didn't still look good.

" Well I better go." The delivery man said. His southern accent was strong.

" Okay, Jason. I will see you next week." Layla said as she looked away from him. Jason smiled and nodded before he walked away.

" Later, Man." He said as he passed Reed.

" Later." Reed muttered. Layla closed her eyes and shook her head.

" I have work to do." She said when she finally composed herself enough to look back at him.

" I know. I just wanted a few minutes." He said as he started forward. Layla turned away from him and started walking away.

" I don't have a few minutes." She snapped. Reed sighed but went after her.

" Please, Layla." He said.

" You said everything you need to say to me, don't you think?" She picked up her pace to get away from him but she knew it wouldn't do any good. His legs were longer than hers so he caught up to her quickly.

" I'm sorry I yelled at you." He said. " I'm sorry for what I said."

" It's fine. You just said what you were thinking." Layla commented. Reed yanked his sunglasses off and grabbed her arm gently, stilling her movements.

" Layla, " He said softly. Her chest started to rise and fall slowly. She was swallowing repeatedly and he could see her chin was quivering. He stepped in front of her and took a hold of her arms. " look at me, please." She closed her eyes and shook her head. A single tear started it's way down her cheek. " Don't cry, Baby."

" What do you want from me?" She asked. When she opened her eyes, he could see they were rimmed in tears she won't let fall.

" Just you, that's all I want. I want us to be together." He said. He started to rub her arms, massaging and squeezing them as he worked down to her hands.

" You don't want us or me. You want someone who looks like me but isn't."

" That's not true." Reed said quickly.

" Yes it is. You want this sexy girl who will tramp around in those little outfits you buy her but that's not me. I did it to make you happy but I hated it the whole time. I don't wear things like that." Layla said.

" Then we throw them out. I don't need them. I just thought you'd like them. I thought you did like them but if you don't, they are gone!" He said quickly.

" I can't do this right now." Layla said, pulling away from him. " I have work to do and I don't have time to get into this with you." Reed closed his eyes as she hurried past him.

" Then call me, please, after you get home." He said without turning around.

" I.."

" Please, Lay. I'm just asking for a phone call." Reed said.

NRNRNR

Reed was sitting on his couch with one leg propped up on his coffee table. He was twirling his phone around in his hand, half watching TV, half watching the clock. She should be on her way home but she hadn't called him, yet. She would though, he didn't doubt it. What they had together was to strong for them to just end like that. His door opened, making him look at it quickly. Sean was holding onto the doorknob with a sad look on his face.

" I'm just here to get her stuff back." He said quietly. Reed stood up.

" What?" He asked. Sean sighed and walked in, closing the door behind him. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a key.

" She wants her stuff back. She gave me the key to your place and she needs her key back." He said.

" This isn't real." Reed said.

" Just give her some time, okay?" Sean said.


	19. Chapter 19

_* Please Review! So I make all Reedus' characters smell the same because I was told by some people that met him that he smells just like that. __**Nymph:**__ can you spot the shout out? __**VeritasKym:**__ I know! I love that outfit! I did see the truck hat and while I think he looks hot always, I'm not a fan of it. I'm trying to see what actually happen to him but I have only heard it was an accident on set*_

A month went by and Reed heard nothing from her and didn't see her. It was the longest month of his life. He worked and went home. He spent his nights watching TV and his phone. He wrote out texts then deleted them. He wasn't sure what to say to her. At the end of the month he had had enough. He was laying on his couch with his legs crossed at his ankles and his left hand behind his head.

' I love you.' He texted. His thumb hovered above the send button. Was that too deep? He shook his head and deleted it.

' Hey there Pretty Girl. I'm thinking about you.' He stared at the message. Was that too casual?

' I love you and I'm thinking about you, my Beautiful Girl.' He sent out before he could talk himself out of it. He let his phone come to rest against his chest and sighed as he stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and remembered one of the times they had laid together right on that couch.

_She was panting hard, he was doing just the same. His hands were buried into her hair while hers were on the couch beside his head. She was leaning down, he was arching up. They met in the middle for sloppy, fast kissing as she took his length deep inside her body. Her tongue was shaking against his. She started to whimper and turned her head away from his mouth as she picked up her speed._

_" Reed." She whispered._

_" Don't hold back!" He begged. His rushed breath fanned across her cheek. " Let it out! Let me hear you, Baby, please!" Her right hand slammed down on his shoulder as she started to cum._

Reed squeezed his eyes shut as his balls pumped hot jets out of his shaft. His legs tighten up, his stomach muscles contracted and he threw his head back as he continued to stroke himself. He groaned out her name, remembering who she whispered out to him when she had an orgasm and how tight her body got around him.

" Harris! Open the fucking door!" Sean yelled as he banged against the front door.

Reed's eyes shot open. He started quickly wiping himself off with the towel he had brought out. He fixed his pants then cleaned off his hands as he stood up. He set his phone on the coffee table and jogged towards his room. He tossed the towel in his laundry basket then hurried to the door. He had been smart and locked the door.

" Reed!" Sean yelled as opened the door.

" What?" He snapped.

" Get your shit, we're going out." He said.

" Yeah, not tonight." Reed said as he turned away.

" It's not an option, Harris." Sean walked in and pushed the door shut. " You have been hauled up in here for a month. When you and Lauren broke up, you didn't stay in this long."

" Yeah, I didn't love her." Reed said as he collapsed on the couch.

" Come on, Dude, you will feel better and I know for fact she isn't there." Reed's head wiped around quickly.

" How do you know?" He asked.

" Because they are going out to eat then going back to Layla's for movies and candy." Sean said. He sat down on the arm of the couch as Reed looked away.

" Milk duds." He said.

" What?" Sean asked.

" Layla likes to eat milk duds when she watches movies." He said quietly. Sean rolled his eyes.

" Okay, that's it. Let's go. You're turning into a woman." He said.

NRNRNR

Two weeks later found Reed agreeing to go out twice a week with Sean. Sean never spoke about Jennifer and Reed didn't ask. He knew Sean was still seeing her because a few times he had called his best friend, Jennifer could be heard in the background. They were trying to keep their whatever it was a secret from Reed and he knew it.

" Shit." Sean muttered, making Reed look at him.

" What?" When Sean didn't answer, Reed turned and looked behind him. " What the hell?" Layla was sitting at a table and across from her was Jason, the delivery guy.

" Come on, man, let's just go." Sean said.

" That's the delivery guy." Reed said.

" The guy that used to hit on her, even after he knew about you?" Sean asked. Reed didn't answered. He couldn't answer. Layla had looked up and they caught eyes. She stopped breathing, he could tell. Her face went pale. Then her lips parted and she drew in a hard breath. Her eyes shut and she shook her head.

" I'm out." Reed said as he pushed himself up.

" Yeah, good idea. Let's go to another bar." Sean said as he turned in his stool to down his beer.

" No. I'm going home."

" Reed, come on." Sean said.

" No. I need to be alone." Reed looked back at Layla who had opened her eyes again.

NRNRNR

He must have drove around for an hour. He didn't even know how he did it, but he ended up at her apartment complex. He sat in his truck, in the dark, debating on if he should go and see if she was home or just go back to his place. He wanted to talk to her, he needed too, even if she didn't listen to him. He would talk through her door if he had too.

Layla stared out the passenger window of Jason's car as they drove to her place. She knew she shouldn't have gone out with him but she had thought the date might cheer her up. Jason was cute but the complete opposite of Reed. He was dirty blond, Reed had dark brown hair. His goatee was trimmed close, Reed's always sort of unruly. The sides of Jason's face were bare, Reed's were patching with facial hair, hair that drove her crazy when he rubbed it against her skin, anywhere on her skin. Jason was a flannel shirt tucked in kind of guy. His shirts were all sorts of different clothes and from American Eagle. He always looked pressed and fresh. Reed was a dark gray, dark blue, or black colored shirt kind of guy. He never tucked his shirts in. His shirts, like his jeans, were faded and worn in with love. Jason smelled like the men's department at a store, Reed smelled like smoke, vanilla, and spices.

" So I had a good time tonight." Jason said. Layla jumped out her thoughts and looked at him as he parked his car.

" Ah, yeah, me too." She said as she forced a smile. Jason turned his car off and smiled.

" I'm glad you decided to go out with me, finally." He said. Layla smiled and laughed as she looked down at her lap. Jason tilted his head and reached out to her. He tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

" I should go." She said softly.

" Let me get your door." Jason said, quickly opening his door and climbing out of his car.

Reed watched as the guy hurried along the front of his car. Jason opened his passenger door with a grin. He shook his head as she slipped out of the car. They were talking for a few minutes with one of Jason's hands on the door and the other on the car. Layla was trapped and uncomfortable. Reed could tell by the way she shifting her weight back and forth.

" So can I call you sometime?" Jason asked.

" Jason, I don't know. I mean, Reed and I were pretty serious and we haven't been apart long. I had fun tonight but I just don't think I'm really ready for this." Layla said.

" Come on, Layla. I can help you forget him and I'm fine with being used for sex." He said.

" Okay, now you need to leave." She said as she put her hands on his chest and gave him a light push. Jason put his hands up and stepped away.

" Come on, don't be like that." He said. Layla shook her head and started pass him. Jason grabbed her arm and pushed her against the car. " Just give me a kiss. I promise I can make you forget him."

" No, I don't think so. Leave me alone." Layla said.

" Just one kiss." Jason said as he put one hand on her hip and the other at her neck.

" No, I don't..." A hand slammed down on Jason's shoulder and he was spun around quickly.

" She said no, motherfucker." Reed said a second before his fist slammed into Jason's face. Jason stumbled back and grabbed his nose.

" He hit me!" He yelled.

" Reed." Layla almost whispered as she and Reed stared at each other. Both his hands were in fists. There was blood on his right fist.

" I'm sorry, Layla. I heard you say no and I just snapped." Reed said.

" I think he broke my nose!" Jason yelled as he bent down.

" What are you doing here?" She asked with both ignoring Jason.

" I don't know. I really don't. I'm sorry." Reed shook his head as he started to back away from them.

" Reed." She said.

" I should go. I'm sorry, Layla." Without another word he turned and jogged back to his truck.


	20. Chapter 20

_* Please Review*_

" How was the date?" Jennifer asked over the phone. Layla locked up her door and sighed.

" Reed showed up. He punched Jason in the face." She said. She heard Jennifer move the phone around then start to whisper quickly. Layla shook her head and sighed. Her friend was not a sneaky as she thought she was. She turned back around and started into her apartment.

" Layla," Sean's voice came through the phone. " Did you say he punched the guy in the face?"

" Yeah." She said.

" Wow. Reed doesn't fight often but when he does it's because he's really pissed up." Sean said.

" Give me the phone and get me a drink." Jennifer said as she yanked the phone back.

" What do you want, Baby?" Sean asked.

" A beer, thanks, Bab... Sean." Jennifer said.

" Okay, enough is enough." Layla said as she sat down on her couch. " What is going on with you two?"

" Nothing. We're just fucking. You know that."

" You aren't just fucking. He's always at your house and you were going to call him Baby. You only call your girlfriends that." Layla said. Jennifer sighed loudly.

" I don't know." She whined. " I guess I'm just experimenting with him."

" Most people say that when they mess around with a member of their own sex. You're saying that about a guy." Layla said. Jennifer sighed again.

" I don't know what happen. He just got under my skin. He just so damn hot." She said with a giggle.

" Are you giggling?" Layla asked in shock.

" What can I say? He makes me giggle. I didn't want to tell you because you were all upset about Reed. I didn't want to be like, well look at my great relationship with his best friend." Layla laid down and sighed. " About his best friend, he really punched Jason?"

NRNRNR

Reed sat at his table with his right hand under a bag of peas. He had his phone on the table and was rubbing his eyes with his left hand. What the hell was wrong with him? Why the hell did he wait in her parking lot like a crazy stalker? Why did he punched that guy? She was never going to come back to him now, not when he made himself look nuts. His phone went off and he was pissed all over again. He did not want to talk to anyone.

" What?!" He snapped when he answered it without looking.

" Whoa, Dude, chill out." Sean said.

" What do you want? I'm not in the mood right now." Reed snapped. What was happening to him?

" Did you really punch that guy out?" Sean asked.

" Yeah, I did. I'm going to bed." Reed hung up with his friend yelling out to him.

He stood up and started towards his room. His phone started going off again, making Reed look down and frown. He know just what Sean wanted. Sean loved a good fight and he just wanted details but Reed wasn't in the mood. Reed yanked his shirt off and tossed it to the floor. When his phone went off again, he set it on his night stand and got ready for bed without looking again.

NRNRNR

Reed laid in his bed and stared at his ceiling the next morning. He hadn't slept good. His hand hurt and he tossed and turned the entire night. It was Saturday so he didn't have to work. He was going to shower, jerk off to his most recent ex-girlfriend like the sad loser he was, then lay around all day until it was time for Sean's birthday party. He already had a sexy memory of Layla picked out. It was the time she had wrapped her legs around his waist and let him fuck her against his bedroom wall.

So hot. He had held her ass with his left hand while his right one stayed planted against the wall. Her arms had been around his neck. She kept her eyes closed and her mouth open while he watched their bodies combine then pull back. He pumped faster and harder with each stroke. She came in a rush that yanked his own orgasm out, shocking him because he hadn't felt it coming. He slammed himself into her as his mouth dropped and he groaned. He flew straight into her, filling her while she contracted around him. They sank down to the floor together.

Reed ran his hand over his face then grabbed his phone. Three missed calls and two voicemails. He shook his head. Sometimes he wanted to punch Sean. The guy just didn't give up. Reed set his phone down then held up his right hand while his left one went behind his head. He spread his fingers out and frowned. His knuckles were bruised and slightly swollen but he didn't regret it.

Dick deserved it.

NRNRNR

He didn't want to be at the bar. He really didn't want to see Sean and Jennifer as they hung all over each other, making out with his hands in her hair and hers at his waist. Reed rolled his eyes and faced the bar. He grabbed his beer and took a drink as he shook his head. Sean had a girlfriend, even if he didn't admit it. Sean, who loved his one night stands and strippers had a steady girlfriend while Reed was single. That never happen.

" Reed." A voice he'd know anywhere made him close his eyes. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes and turned around slowly to see Layla standing in front of him with her arms loosely crossed over her chest.

" Layla." He breathed out.

" I...I, ah, called you, twice." She said. Reed frowned.

" When?" He asked as he quickly dug his phone out.

" Last night, about an hour after you left. I left you two voice mails." She said. Sure enough, as he scanned through his call log there were two missed calls from her.

" I thought it was Sean calling me." He muttered as he dialed into his voicemail. There she had been, reaching out to him and he had been to angry to notice.

" I thought it was to late, that maybe you didn't want to talk to me anymore." She said, pulling his eyes to her face.

" It's never to late." Reed said_._

_' Hey, it's Layla. I just, I just wanted to tell you thank you, for helping me tonight. I hope your hand is okay. If you want to call me back, that's okay._' Her first voicemail said_._

_' Ah, hi, it's Layla again. I wanted to tell you that...I miss you. Bye._' Her second voicemail said. Slowly Reed hung up his phone.

" Do you?" He asked. She swallowed as she nodded. " Do you want to get out of here? We could go some place quiet, you know, to talk."

" Okay." She said as she nodded. Reed started to smile.

Jennifer was sitting on Sean's left leg, kissing, nestling, and biting against his neck. Her arms were around his neck, his left arm was around her waist. It was his birthday party and he was supposed to be drinking and having fun but all he wanted to do was go home with Jennifer. His eyes were closed and he tilted his head to give her better access to him.

" Are you having fun?" Jennifer whispered into his ear. A second later she scrapped her teeth against his ear lobe.

" I really want to fuck you right now." He admitted as he opened his eyes. He looked straight across the bar to Reed. " Holy shit, Jenner look." She looked to where he was pointing.

" She came." Jennifer said as she smiled.

" Reed is smiling." Sean said.

" If they get back together than we won't have to hide that we're a couple anymore. We can tell everyone we aren't just having sex." She said. Sean looked at her quickly.

" You mean you want people to know about this? You want people to know this isn't casual?"

She actually blushed as she looked back at him. Jennifer never blushed. Not when she watched him in between her legs. Not when she told him where she wanted his mouth and what she wanted his tongue to do to her. Not when she let him watch her use her vibrate. No, she never blushed. Yet here she was, biting into her bottom lip blushing and nodding.

" Yeah." She admitted, making him grin.

" So I turned you." Sean said.

" What?" She asked

" Well before me you were all about the pussy, not that I blame you. I love pussy too, but now you're all about my dick. I turned you into dick lover." Sean said. Jennifer started to laugh.

" I do love your dick." She agreed.

" And I love that you love it." Sean said before he kissed her.

Just like the first time they met face to face, Reed and Layla had a few seconds were all they did was stare at each other. He wanted to touch her but didn't. Neither one knew what to say. His confession was ringing through her head. He loved her when they broke up but did he still? She hadn't heard anything from him for a while than she got a random text from him that she hadn't read but maybe she should have.

" I should go and tell Sean we're leaving. I'll have to ride with you. I took a cab here." Reed said. His body was tight with the need to hug her.

" Why? Is something wrong with your truck?" She asked. Reed shook his head.

" No. I was just planning on getting fall down , sloppy drunk tonight." He admitted. They stared hard at each other for a few more seconds. " Fuck Sean, let's just go."

" Okay." She said.

And just like their first meeting, he walked with her without touching her. He shoved his hands into his pockets. She kept her arms tight around her chest, a sure sign that she was uncomfortable but why? Was it him? Did she really not want to be close to him? His heart sank. Was giving him a pity talk? No, she did say she missed him. But she never said she loved him. She never answered a single text message or voicemail. Reed sighed, making her look up at him. Slowly, Layla stopped walking, making him stop.

" What? What's wrong?" Reed asked. Layla dropped her arms to her sides. They faced each other with his heart pounding. " What's wrong, Lay?" He asked softly.

She stepped into his personal space and brought her hands to his waist. She slipped her arms around him and let her head come to rest against his chest. Reed closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He smelled the same. He felt the same. He was warm, his arms tight. She felt completely safe. She always felt safe when she was with him. Reed closed his eyes and buried his face into her hair. Her hands closed on his shirt as she moved into him more. She titled her head up, making him look down at her.

" I missed you." She said. He swallowed passed the lump in his throat.

" I missed you, too." Reed admitted.

" Can we just go to your place to talk?" She asked.

" Whatever you want." Reed said. She nodded and pulled way but she didn't go far. To his surprise, she took his hand and interlaced their fingers. " Let's go than."


	21. Chapter 21

_* Please Review! Im nervous about this chapter*_

Once outside, Layla handed over her keys to him which wasn't a surprised. She always wanted him to drive, be it her car or his. He opened the passenger door and waited until she sat down before he shut it. He hurried to the driver's side with his stomach in knots. This could be it. This might be the night they got back together. He smiled to himself as he opened the door.

" You sure you want to go to my place?" Reed asked after he sat down.

" Yeah. I want to be comfortable and private." Layla said. He nodded and looked out her windshield, shutting the door quickly. He had a closed mouth smile. She wanted to be somewhere comfortable and that place was with him at his apartment. Hope surged through him as he started up her car.

" Okay. Did you eat? Do you want me to pick something up on the way home or get some coffee?" Reed asked, pulling away from the bar.

" No." She said.

Without looking at him, Layla reached over and placed her hand onto of his as he held onto the gear shifter. Reed looked down then back at the road. He shifted his hand so her fingers slipped into his palm. He closed his fingers around hers and squeezed them. She squeezed him back, making him grin. They were quiet the rest of the ride. He rubbed his fingers against hers slowly. She, in return, was working them with him. Quietly they were feeling each other, enjoying being close again. For the first time since they broke up, Reed felt relaxed.

As they walked into his apartment, he hung her keys up where he always placed them. She moved to the couch, he went to his room. He had been sleeping with her favorite blanket and he wanted to get it for her. It was laying across his bed so when he walked into his room, he snatched it up. He quickly went back to his living room and found her waiting patiently for him.

" Thought you might want this." Reed said quietly, making her smile.

" Thank you." Layla said. He spread the blanket out over her legs then sat down beside her.

" You're welcome." He said.

He turned towards her, putting his left arm across the back of the couch and bring his left leg onto it. She was staring at the blanket, her fingers working against the hem. She was nervous. Who should start talking? What should he say? A million things were flying through his head but none of them sounded right. They all sounded sappy and pathetic.

" I'm sorry I ignored you. I deleted your texts without reading them." She said without lifting her eyes.

" Why?" He asked. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

" I was too hurt and angry to read them. My mother," She paused and shook her head again but she did open her eyes and look at him. " she always said you never give a man a second change. If he screws up then he's out. I thought I was never going to talk to you again. I kept repeating your words over and over again."

" I'm sorry. I didn't have the right to say that." Reed said quickly.

" No, it's okay. You're right. I thought I could keep things good between us, keep you with me, if I became what I thought you wanted. You bought outfits for me that were super sexy and tight. I thought you wanted a super sexually charged girl. I took what my mother said and the outfits and I tried to become that for you."

" Layla, I don't need you to be anything but you." He said.

" No, just listen to me, please." She almost begged. " See, in all my other relationships I changed myself, like I had seen my mother do a million times. I became what I thought my boyfriends wanted. When those relationships ended my mother always said it was because I hadn't tried hard enough to give them what they wanted. But when you came along, I didn't feel the need to change because I didn't think anything would happen. I didn't think we'd meet in person so I could just be me." She said.

" And when we did meet?" Reed asked.

" I still didn't believe anything would happen so I didn't try and change but things did change." She said, making him nod.

" It did." Reed agreed.

" For the first time I started to feel confident in myself. You knew me and you still wanted to be around me. You called me, sent me texts, came to my work and I thought, this was it. I could just be me. Then you bought me that first outfit. I started to think that was what you wanted, someone who dressed like that so I made myself wear it." Layla explained.

" I never meant for you to feel like that." He said.

" I know you didn't. After we met my mother and she said what she said, I fell back into my ways. I tried to be this over sexed girl I thought you wanted but it got to be to much and then you found out what she said. You were angry and at first I couldn't understand why. I thought I was doing what you wanted so I got mad. I talked to my mother a few days ago. She was yelling at me, asking me how I could have screwed things up, again. I listened and agreed like I knew she wanted. When she calmed down she told me that number five had left her but how she was going to get over 2.5 million in the divorce and I don't know what came over me but I told her to shut the hell up." She said with a small smile. Reed was shocked.

" You did? And how did that go over?" He asked, making her laugh.

" As well as you think it went. I mean, at first she didn't say anything then she started yelling at me but I just hung up because you were right and it didn't hit me until then. Why was I listening to a woman who had been married that many times and couldn't hold on to anyone? She told me my entire life that I wasn't good enough, that I made to make myself into what a man wanted, like she did. She had her breasts done. She redyed her hair, had her stomach done, her chin, she just kept remaking herself over and over again my entire life but it never worked. The men in her life didn't want her. I just realized that I was being just like her and I didn't want to do that."

" So why didn't you call me afterwards?" Reed asked. Layla dropped her eyes and focused in on her hands.

" I know you had been trying to get a hold of me and I just thought you'd be upset because I had ignored you. I thought it would be too late to fix things between us." She admitted. " The day after I talked to my mom Jason asked me out and I agreed. I thought it might get my mind off of you but then," She shook her head and looked up at him. " you showed up at the bar."

" That seems to happen to us a lot." Reed said softly. " Things just seem to push us together. I mean, I drive past your apartment complex every day when I go to work and come home. I found you with the phone, I went to the bar and we met." Layla nodded.

" When I saw you at the bar I thought, this is it. I was going to come home and call you. When you showed up and punched Jason I thought you still cared about me and wanted to be with me. So I called to explain these things to you."

" And I didn't answer." Reed said.

" You didn't answer. So then I thought I had really screwed things up. I wasn't going to come out tonight and at the last second I decided too. I decided that if you were there I would try and talk to you. If you would let me, I could explain things to you and now...I have." She said. Reed nodded.

" You have." He said.

" Now you know everything. You can do whatever you want with it. You can take it or leave it but here it is." They fell silence for a few minutes. Both just stared at each other.

" And if I want to take it?" Reed finally asked.

" Then you can do what you want with it." Reed nodded and sat back. He let his right arm come to rest on his couch's arm. She gave him a lot to think about. He looked away from her with his mind going over everything she had told him. She changed herself to be with him so did he really know her at all?

" I should go." Layla said as she pushed the blanket off her lap.

She had said she was herself when they first talked and for a while because she hadn't expected them to meet or that he'd want to stay with her.

" I just wanted you to know what happen, from my side." She said, standing up.

Reed nodded but didn't say anything. What could he say? She was a little more damaged then he thought she was. Did he really know her? He nodded to himself. He did. She may have thought she had changed herself to be with him, but she hadn't. She hadn't pretended to like things she didn't. She acted the same, she was just more sexual then she had been when they were first together. Reed's head snapped to his front door when he realized she was getting ready to open it.

" Layla, wait." He said as he stood up. She froze with her hand on the door knob but didn't turn around to face him. " I need to know something." He said, coming towards her quickly.

" What?" She asked.

" Did you enjoy sex with me or were you just pretending?" Layla blushed and he knew the answer. She hadn't faked it, not one time, not that he really doubted it. He had been with a girl who faked it and Layla's body didn't respond like a faker. When she had an orgasm, she trembled inside. She contracted either around his dick or his finger and that wasn't something you could fake.

" I didn't pretend." She almost whispered as she opened his door. Reed's left hand came up quickly. He pushed it shut fast but still she didn't turn. His right hand touched her lower back.

" Don't go, please." He said. Layla exhaled and closed her eyes. " Just stay. We don't have to have sex or kiss, I just want you to stay for the night. Just lay with me." She turned around and put her back to his door. Reed moved so he had both hands on the door by her head as they stared into each other's eyes.

" You want me to stay?" She asked. Reed nodded. Layla took a hold of his face and brought it down as she stepped up. She closed her eyes and lightly brushed her lips against his. " Okay."

Reed's arms closed in around her. He tilted his head and let his tongue trail along her lips. Layla opened herself and he moved straight into her mouth with a groan. She tasted the same, felt the same, and reacted to him the same. She pressed her little body against his as he pressed her back against the door. He wanted her and knew she felt it but there was nothing he could do about it. She took a hold of his shirt as their kissing picked up it's pace.

" We have to stop." Reed whispered, resting his forehead against hers. They kept their eyes closed. " I want you. I'm sorry." She bit into her lower lip and sighed.

" Don't be." She whispered. Reed pulled away to look down at her. Her cheeks were tinted red and her lips were kissed until they were slightly swollen. She opened her eyes and gave him a small smile. " I'm going to go home and pack a bag. We could spend tomorrow together if you want."

" We're already here. I'll grab a few things and we'll go to your place." He said quickly.

NRNRNR

His arm was tight around her waist and they were snuggled deep into her blankets. She had one arm under her pillow and the other resting against his arm. They were pressed against each other but fully clothed. Reed couldn't complain. He was in her bed, she was sleeping beside them, he had no reason to complain.

" I love you." He whispered.


	22. Chapter 22

_* Please Review!*_

In the morning, Reed woke the second she untangled herself from him and left her bed. He opened one eye and watched as she walked into her bathroom and closed the door. A minute later her shower kicked on. Reed stayed right where he was. If she wanted him in the shower with her, she would have left the door open. That was always her sign, her invite to him. They were working things out but they weren't to the sex yet. He could respect that, but that didn't mean he didn't want her.

Reed rolled to his back and started to rub his eyes. He remembered all to well what her body looked like with bubbles and soap sliding down it. He covered his face with his hands and started to rub it hard as his body came online. He was growing harder and harder until he was standing straight up, pitching a long tent in her bed.

" Not now." He groaned to himself. " The color blue, the color red, trees, grass," He started saying anything that might get his mind off her. " Dogs, cats, cats, cats, pussy, warm, wet, oh shit!" Reed threw the blankets off him and sat up. He needed some cold water and fast. There was no way he was going to jerk off in her spare bathroom.

Reed slung his legs around until he hit the floor. He stood up and stretched. He felt well rested and comfortable for the first time since their last night together. While he rubbed the back of his neck, he walked out of her room and towards her kitchen. He was going to dunk his hands into some cold water then start their coffee.

Layla turned off her shower and reached out of the curtain for her towels. One for her body and one for her hair. She wrapped one towel around her and secured it against her breasts. The other one she started rubbing her hair with. She sighed and stepped out of her tub. She glanced at her closed bedroom door then walked to her long bathroom sink counter. Should she have left the door open? She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure she was ready for that. She had treated him like shit by ignoring him so much after their break up.

After she came out of the bathroom, he smiled at her, telling her their coffee was on before he made his way into her bathroom to get ready for the day. She decided to make them breakfast. She was a ball of nervous energy and she needed to do something, anything to take her mind off the man getting into the shower in her bathroom.

Reed never cursed his dick so much in his life as he was doing in her shower. The bathroom smelled like her. The mirror was still misty and her shower walls were wet and warm. Like how she feels inside. Reed closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the warm water coat his hair. He turned so his back was facing the shower curtain and placed his hands on the wall with his legs spread, as if he could close them anyway. His balls were almost swollen with the need to cum but he couldn't jerk off. Not that she'd know or care. In fact, she had let him jerk off onto her stomach once when she was on her period. Surprisingly it had been one of the most erotic experiences of his life.

" Reed." Her voice came over him as she pulled the curtain back. He jumped and turned around, forgetting about his problem. Her eyes moved down him then back up to his face at the same time his eyes took her in. She blushed as he swallowed hard. She was completely naked. Layla stepped back into her tub, making him step back. She closed the curtain as he met her eyes.

" What are you doing?" He asked softly.

" Joining you." Layla moved so she was blocking the water. Her hands came up and didn't stop until they were resting against his chest. She stepped in closer to him.

" Layla, we don't have to do this." He said as he stared into her eyes.

" I know." She said. To his embarrassment, he jerked and smacked her tummy. He closed his eyes and flushed.

" Sorry." He muttered. Layla smiled and let her fingers trail down his chest and abs.

" Don't be." She whispered as he opened his eyes.

" You really want this?" He whispered. He stared into her eyes.

" Yes." Layla said.

Reed nodded and reached behind her. He turned the water off then opened the curtain without looking away from her. Reed snatched up the towel he had hanging up. He placed the edge of it against her shoulders so it trailed down her back. He held the towel against her, stepped out of the tub and held his free hand out to her. Layla let him help her out and together they laid down on the bathroom floor with him on top of her.

Reed ran one hand through her hair as he continued to stare at her. They weren't smiling. They weren't frowning. They were just staring. There was so much he wanted to say to her in that moment but he didn't. There were a million different emotions flying through her eyes but she didn't say anything either. Reed reached down between them and took a hold of himself.

' Should I say it? Should I tell her I love her?' He asked himself. No. He had said it a few times to her but she had never said it to him.

Reed pushed those thoughts from his mind as he pushed into her body. Her eyes fluttered shut as a soft moan escaped her lips. Besides the orgasm, this was his favorite part of sex with Layla. When he first entered her, it always seem to have a strong effect on her. She always moaned and closed her eyes. It was a huge turn on for him.

He kept his movements slow, his thrusts purposeful and strong. Her hands were in his hair. Her nails were digging into his scalp. Her legs went around his waist and her heels pushed into his ass. She met his thrusts with strong ones of her own. She moaned and he pulled it straight into him. He kissed her mouth, her chin, her cheeks, her forehead. When she finally came apart around him Reed buried his mouth into her neck. He panted across her pulse point as he poured himself into her body.

Afterwards they made out slowly with him running his hands through her hair. He stayed on top of her until he was completely soft and slipping out of her warm body. Her legs relaxed around his waist and she whimpered in complete content. He pulled back to give her a few closed mouth kisses and then kissed her eyelids before he pulled completely away.

" I need to get in the shower. I didn't really wash up." Reed said as when she opened her eyes.

" The water might be cold." She said.

" That's okay." Reed said. " I'm feeling pretty overheated right now."

The rest of the morning and early afternoon things between them were a little awkward. They spoke carefully and quietly to each other. She wasn't sure how to act and neither was he. She blushed and dropped her eyes when he caught her staring at him. She blushed again when she caught him staring at her. By three in the afternoon he decided how to get them over their weirdness.

" Hey, I'm going to go home. Can you come over around 6:30?" Reed asked.

" Sure." Layla said, making him smile and nod.

" Why don't you pack a bag?" He asked.

" Okay." Layla stood up as he started backwards towards her front door.

NRNRNR

When Layla pulled up next to his truck, Reed was waiting for her with his arms crossed over his chest and a smile on his face. She smiled, tuned off her car and grabbed her bag. Reed opened the door and reached in to take the bag from her then to help her out of the car. He shut her door and took her hand gently.

" Hey you." He said.

" Hi." Layla said.

Once they were in his place, he directed her to the table while he jogged towards his room. He dropped off her bag in his room then hurried out, excited to start their night. Everything was planned and he hoped it would go down smoothly. He hoped she would pick up on the clues he was going to lay out for her. Reed came back into the main living area of his apartment and smiled at her.

" Sit down, Baby. I'm get dinner plated." Reed said.

Quickly Layla found herself at his table with a plate of pasta in front of her. Reed slipped down across from her with a smile. She found it odd because usually they sat down beside each other to eat. The only time they sat across from each other was when they went out to eat. And at the first time she came over to spend the night. Layla held her breath and looked to his counter. Sitting on it was a bottle of Ragu. Her breath caught loudly. Reed glanced up at her and smiled. He looked down at his plate. She was getting it.

" This sauce is good." Layla said.

" Thanks. It's homemade." He said. When she didn't say anything, he looked back up at her. She was struggling to breath, to swallow, to speak.

" It's homemade?" She whispered. He nodded as he swirled his spoon around in his pasta. " Then why is there a bottle of pasta sauce sitting on the counter?" Reed smiled. He looked behind him at the counter then back at her. Just like he did the first night.

" Ah...did I say homemade? I meant home style." He said. Layla bit into her lower lip and tried not to smile.

" You meant home style and not homemade?" She asked.

" Yeah." He picked up the bottle of wine. " You want some more wine, Babe?" He asked.

" Good cover up." She whispered.

Everything was set up like their first night together. The dinner, the plate settings, the Ragu bottle's placement. She was even betting that in his DVD player was the movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose. She closed her eyes and swallowed down her tears. It was to perfect. This was what she had been missing her entire life, a man who could make everything perfect. And because of her self doubts and fears she had almost lost him, almost pushed him away.

" Layla." Reed said softly as he placed a hand on top of one of hers. " Are you okay?" She opened her eyes and nodded. When she felt a tear slip from her eye, she reached up and wiped it away quickly. "Please don't cry. I didn't do this to make you cry."

" I know. It's just all so..." Her chin shook as she drew in a shaky breath. She smiled even though she was starting to cry harder. " perfect."

" You're okay though?" Reed said.

" Yeah, no worries." She said. She quickly wiped at both her cheeks. " Let's eat, okay?"

After dinner, they cleaned together but they didn't play like they had the last time. With their shoulders and arms brushing together, they washed the dishes. He kept stealing glances at her but she wasn't looking up at him. She was pale and he was wondering if he had made a mistake. She said everything was perfect but why did she seem so upset?

With everything cleaned, Layla went to the couch on his order. He started towards the door to lock up and hit the lights. He had almost reached it when she blurted out,

" I love you." Reed stopped walking and held his breath. He turned around slowly and looked at her. She was standing up, holding her hands against her stomach. " I love you." She repeated.

" Are you sure?" He asked.

" Yes." She almost whispered. Reed exhaled hard then rushed forward. When he reached her, he threw his arms around her and picked her up. She laughed and put her arms around his neck as she hugged him.

" I love you too, Layla." He breathed into her hair. He held her up and off the ground a second before he swung her around, making her burst into laughter. She squeezed him hard. " I love you so much." He said.

" I love you." She said again. She pulled away to smile down at him. Reed brought her down and crushed his mouth to hers. One of his hands went into her hair. He kissed her hard and fast then pulled away and showered her face with kissing, saying over and over again how much he loved her and making her laugh.

_* Please let me know what you think about Reed's plan and her confession!*_


	23. Chapter 23

_* Please review! This chapter is pure fluff. I just wanted to end it on a fluff note*_

4 Months Later:

Reed leaned against the railing of his balcony while he smoked and watched his girl move around the apartment. She was smiling as she talked with their friends. Sean stepped out and closed the balcony door. He came to stand by his friend. His eyes trained on his own girlfriend. Reed brought the cigarette to his mouth and inhaled deeply.

" Living together. This is a big step. It's bigger than big, Harris." Sean said. Reed nodded and exhaled.

" It is." He commented.

" Jenner said Layla sold all the stuff that didn't fit here or you guys didn't want." Sean said.

" We did." Reed said.

" So if it doesn't work out, she has nothing."

" It's going to work out."

" You know what the next step is. You ready for that?" Sean asked.

" Yep." Reed said. He caught Layla's eyes and smiled at her. She returned the smile. " Her lease was up and I didn't see the point of her getting another place. Plus, I wanted her here. I wanted her stuff with mine."

" You got a ring picked out?" Sean asked.

" Yeah. My mom wants me to use a ring that my dad gave her. It's perfect for Lay. It's silver with a small diamond, not flashy or big. Just something she would want." Reed said.

" When are you going to ask her?" Sean asked.

" Not for a while. What about you? You gonna move in with Jennifer?" He asked.

" Nah. Jennifer and I talked about that. We like having our own places, you know?" Sean said.

A year and a half later:

Sean swiped his hands across Reed's shoulders. He straighten his best friend's jacket then readjusted the tie. He tugged on the jacket one more time, making sure it hung off Reed just right then he move to his side and the two men stood side by side, looking at their selves in the mirror. Reed was smiling while Sean was grinning.

" Wait til you see your chick. She looks amazing." Sean said.

" I bet. She seem alright? Nervous?" Reed asked.

" She's nervous but excited. Dude, I can't believe this day actually came. I think I thought we'd be single forever." Sean said.

" You alright with this?" Reed asked with a smirk.

" Yeah, Layla's perfect for you. You guys are great together."

NRNRNR

Reed waited at the front of the crowd with his hands clasped together and resting in front of him. Sean was standing beside him with his eyes glued on Jennifer as she made her way towards them in a short, light purple dress that fit her perfectly. Sean leaned forward to whisper to his best friend. He hadn't wanted to say anything, hadn't wanted to take away from Reed and Layla's day but he couldn't hold it in anymore.

" Jennifer's pregnant. We found out yesterday." Sean said. Reed looked at him and smiled.

" Good for you, Man." He said. They both smiled and shook hands. Reed looked back down the church at the same time Layla appeared in the door way. " Oh man. She looks..."

He shook his head as his words trailed off. Layla smiled and started towards him. Since her dad had passed away and she wasn't close with her mother, she was walking alone towards him but she wasn't upset. Her dress was a white ballgown style. The top was strapless and tight with a thin line of bead work just under her chest that went around to her back. She was wearing her hair down and in soft waves. She had no veil, even though her mother had been disapproving. Her flowers were light purple roses. Her smile was bright as she reached him.

" Hey there, guy from the hospital." She whispered when he took her hand.

" Hey there, Beautiful Girl." Reed whispered.

Two years later:

Reed was grinning as he rocked in the rocker in the hospital room. His wife was sleeping peacefully after 24 hours of labor. Reed was staring down at his little son's face as the baby slept. He was dead tired too but knew that in a few hours everyone was going to come and see their first born so he wanted to spend some time alone with him.

" Here, Honey." His mom said as she walked into the room. " I got us some coffee." Reed smiled up at her while he stood up.

" Sit down, Mom." Reed said.

" No. It's okay."

" No, Mom, sit." Reed said.

With a tired smile, Donna set the coffees down on the table by Layla's bed then sat in the rocker. She was just as tired as he was but wasn't ready to leave yet. As soon as she was settled in, Reed leaned down and placed the baby in her arms. He grab a coffee and sat down on the window counter so he was right beside his mother.

" Thank you for letting me see him born." Donna said as she rubbed the baby's cheeks.

" You're welcome. It's what we wanted." Reed said while he watched his son.

" Did you call Cindy?"

" No."

" Reed." Donna said as she looked at him.

" My wife asked me not too. Besides, Cindy knew when Layla's due date was and Layla went a week over. She could have called to find out what was happening and she didn't." Donna shook her head and looked back at her grandson.

" When was the last time you saw her?" She asked.

" When Layla was 6 months pregnant. She came over for dinner and to see the nursery and let me tell you, she was awful. She didn't like the name we picked out. She said we shouldn't name him Lucien because it wasn't a proper name. She said he shouldn't have my name as his middle name and that he should carry Layla's maiden name." Reed said.

" I think Lucien Reed Harris is a fine name." Donna said.

" Well she wanted us to name him Bradley or Michael. And he shouldn't have my first name in his name or my last name because ' What if it doesn't work out?' I mean, really? We're married. I'm not just a one night stand. And she's the one who has been married six times now." Reed said. " She hated his nursery too. She said it should have the ABC's and numbers all over it so he could be surrounded in a learning setting at all times. But what really pissed me off was when she said Layla was to big. I mean from behind you couldn't even tell she was pregnant. She gained 35 pounds, that's all. So I had to tell her to leave. I told her she wasn't going to talk to my wife like that."

" And that was it? You haven't seen her since?" Donna asked.

" No."

Seven years later:

" Mom!" Lucien yelled as he walked in.

" In the baby's room!" Layla called out. At seven Lucien was tall for his age. He had a head full of blond hair and looked just like his father did when he was young.

" What are you doing?" He asked.

" Just redoing her clothes." Layla said as she refolded Elizabeth's onesies.

" Why?"

" Because I'm nesting, Lucien." Layla commented without looking up. Lucien shook his head and frowned.

" Dad!" He yelled. Reed filed in with two year old Avery Norman perched on his shoulders, happily eating his ice cream cone, and five year old Liam Sean holding onto his left pant leg with one hand and his ice cream in the other. " You need to call the doctor and make him take baby Elizabeth out of my mom. She's building nest." Reed smiled and caught his very pregnant wife's eyes.

" Nesting, Lucien, not making a nest. She's just restless." Reed said. He took a hold of Avery's arms and hauled him up off his shoulders to set him on the ground. " Take your brothers to the bathroom for me and help them wash their hands."

" Come on Liam and Avery." Lucien took the two year old's hand and walked out of the purple and pink room with Liam following him. Reed smiled and walked over to Layla.

" Hey Baby." He said as he placed his hands on her stomach.

" He's right. This baby needs to come out. I can not believe I'm still pregnant." Avery and Liam had come when she was 38 weeks pregnant. Now she was almost to her due date and very uncomfortable.

" You sure you want this to be the last? I kind of like getting your pregnant." Reed said, making her smile.

" We decided on four or a girl. Lucky for me, the fourth is a girl." She said.

" Sean said he and Jennifer are trying now. She's been bugging him since we found out the baby's a girl. She wants a girl. She told him he better give her one or she will just get pregnant until she gets one." Reed said. He leaned forward and kissed her neck. He moved around to her back so he could get close to her. He came into her back and slipped his hands under her shirt to rub her bare stomach and feel his baby move. She set the little shirt down and covered his hands with hers.

" I am going to miss this." She confessed.

" Could always go for five." Reed said as he nestled into the side of her neck.

" My luck, we keep having kids and you will just keep giving me boys. Elizabeth and I are already over run." She said. Reed smiled against her skin.

" You love your boys." He said.

" I do but I'm going to be glad I'm not the only girl in the house anymore." Layla said.

" Yuck. Why are you guys always like that?" Lucien's voice came from the door way. Reed laughed and pulled away to look at their first born.

" Son, you should start praying that when you're older and you dial a random number, it will lead you to your soul mate like my random number did." Reed said.

" Mama." Avery said as he pushed pass Lucien and carefully walked into the room.

" I'm not getting married. Girls are nasty." Lucien said. Then he smiled and shook his head. " Well not you, Mom, or Elizabeth, Grandma and Aunt Jennifer but every other girl is." Liam was next to file in.

" Alright, I know Daddy got you all ice cream but who's ready for actual dinner?" Layla said as she started rounding up her boys together.

" Me!" Liam shouted and clapped.

" Liam's always hungry." Lucien said as he moved out of the door way.

Reed was all grins as he watched his children and wife. His sons surrounded his wife as she walked. All wanting to be close to her and touch her as much as he did. Lucien came to her left side and took her hand. Avery took her right hand and Liam reached up to grab the back of her shirt. Lucien wanted to help her walk as he did with all her pregnancy. Avery and Liam just needed to be with her. Reed followed behind his family as they headed towards the kitchen. The only thing missing in the picture was his daughter. He couldn't wait until she was born so he could see how fit into their nest of children.

And he didn't have to wait long. Layla woke him in the middle night, telling him her water had broke. He called his mother who had decided to move just down the road from them. She hurried to the house to be with their boys while Reed helped his wife into the car, almost jumping with excitement. He gripped Layla's hand and kissed her knuckles as he hurried.

_* Did you guys like the kids' names? Thank you for all the favs and the reviews for this story! I hope you guys liked it as much as I did! It was kind of out of my usual plot line but I hope it worked!*_


End file.
